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arXiv · 2302.13957

Swift/UVOT: 18 Years of Long GRB Discoveries and Advances

S. R. Oates
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Abstract

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift) has been in operation for 18 years. The Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) onboard Swift was designed to capture the earliest optical/UV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), spanning the first few minutes to days after the prompt gamma-ray emission. In this article, I provide an overview of the long GRBs (whose prompt gamma-ray duration is >2 s) observed by the Swift/UVOT and review the major discoveries that have been achieved by Swift/UVOT over the last 18 years. I discuss where improvements have been made to our knowledge and understanding of the optical/UV emission, particularly the early optical/UV afterglow.

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S. R. Oates. 2023-02-27. Swift/UVOT: 18 Years of Long GRB Discoveries and Advances. https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9030113

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