How Swift is Redefining Time Domain Astronomy

TL;DR

NASA's Swift satellite, over ten years, has revolutionized time domain astronomy by discovering diverse transient phenomena and establishing new observational capabilities, significantly advancing our understanding of cosmic transient events.

Contribution

This paper highlights Swift's extensive discoveries and its role in transforming time domain astronomy through flexible scheduling and multi-messenger collaborations.

Findings

Discovered long-lived X-ray afterglows and flares from GRBs

First accurate localization of short GRBs

Detected high-redshift GRBs (z>8)

Abstract

NASA's Swift satellite has completed ten years of amazing discoveries in time domain astronomy. Its primary mission is to chase gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), but due to its scheduling flexibility it has subsequently become a prime discovery machine for new types of behavior. The list of major discoveries in GRBs and other transients includes the long-lived X-ray afterglows and flares from GRBs, the first accurate localization of short GRBs, the discovery of GRBs at high redshift (z>8), supernova shock break-out from SN Ib, a jetted tidal disruption event, an ultra-long class of GRBs, high energy emission from flare stars, novae and supernovae with unusual characteristics, magnetars with glitches in their spin periods, and a short GRB with evidence of an accompanying kilonova. Swift has developed a dynamic synergism with ground based observatories. In a few years gravitational wave observatories will come on-line and provide exciting new transient sources for Swift to study.