Gamma Ray Bursts in the Era of Rapid Followup

TL;DR

This paper discusses advancements in gamma-ray burst research enabled by rapid robotic optical telescopes, highlighting new software, instrumentation, and scientific insights gained from prompt multi-wavelength observations.

Contribution

It introduces innovative real-time analysis software and novel instrumentation for early-time observations, advancing understanding of GRB physics in the rapid follow-up era.

Findings

Real-time automatic analysis of GRB light curves

Unique early-time polarization measurements

Enhanced understanding of GRB physics through rapid multi-wavelength data

Abstract

We present a status report on the study of gamma-ray bursts (GRB) in the era of rapid follow-up using the world's largest robotic optical telescopes - the 2-m Liverpool and Faulkes telescopes. Within the context of key unsolved issues in GRB physics, we describe (1) our innovative software that allows real-time automatic analysis and interpretation of GRB light curves, (2) the novel instrumentation that allows unique types of observations (in particular, early time polarisation measurements) and (3) the key science questions and discoveries to which robotic observations are ideally suited, concluding with a summary of current understanding of GRB physics provided by combining rapid optical observations with simultaneous observations at other wavelengths.