# An online repository of Swift/XRT light curves of GRBs

## TL;DR

This paper presents an automated, online repository of high-quality Swift/XRT light curves for Gamma Ray Bursts, enabling rapid access and analysis of data for the scientific community.

## Contribution

The authors developed an automated system that generates and updates Swift/XRT light curves of GRBs with high quality, handling observational effects and providing rapid data dissemination.

## Key findings

- Light curves are available within minutes of data arrival.
- The repository includes hardness ratios and deep images for all observed GRBs.
- Automated processing handles CCD damage, mode switching, and pile-up effects.

## Abstract

Context. Swift data are revolutionising our understanding of Gamma Ray Bursts. Since bursts fade rapidly, it is desirable to create and disseminate accurate light curves rapidly. Aims. To provide the community with an online repository of X-ray light curves obtained with Swift. The light curves should be of the quality expected of published data, but automatically created and updated so as to be self-consistent and rapidly available. Methods. We have produced a suite of programs which automatically generates Swift/XRT light curves of GRBs. Effects of the damage to the CCD, automatic readout-mode switching and pile-up are appropriately handled, and the data are binned with variable bin durations, as necessary for a fading source. Results. The light curve repository website (http://www.swift.ac.uk/xrt_curves) contains light curves, hardness ratios and deep images for every GRB which Swift's XRT has observed. When new GRBs are detected, light curves are created and updated within minutes of the data arriving at the UK Swift Science Data Centre.