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arXiv · 1211.3115

Automated rapid follow-up of Swift GRBs with AMI-LA

T. D. Staley·D. J. Titterington·R. P. Fender·J. D. Swinbank·A. J. van der Horst·A. Rowlinson·A. M. M. Scaife·K. J. B. Grainge·G. G. Pooley
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Abstract

We present 15-GHz follow-up radio observations of eleven Swift gamma-ray burst (GRB) sources, obtained with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager Large Array (AMI-LA). The initial follow-up observation for each source was made in a fully automated fashion; as a result four observations were initiated within five minutes of the GRB alert timestamp. These observations provide the first millijansky-level constraints on prolonged radio emission from GRBs within the first hour post-burst. While no radio emission within the first six hours after the GRB is detected in this preliminary analysis, radio afterglow is detected from one of the GRBs (GRB120326A) on a timescale of days. The observations were made as part of an ongoing programme to use AMI-LA as a systematic follow-up tool for transients at radio frequencies. In addition to the preliminary results, we explain how we have created an easily extensible automated follow-up system, describing new software tools developed for astronomical transient alert distribution, automatic requesting of target-of-opportunity observations, and robotic control of the observatory.

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T. D. Staley, D. J. Titterington, R. P. Fender, J. D. Swinbank, A. J. van der Horst, A. Rowlinson, A. M. M. Scaife, K. J. B. Grainge, G. G. Pooley. 2012-11-13. Automated rapid follow-up of Swift GRBs with AMI-LA. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fsts259

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