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

## TL;DR

This paper reviews 18 years of discoveries of long gamma-ray bursts using the Swift/UVOT instrument, highlighting advances in understanding their early optical/UV afterglow emissions.

## Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of Swift/UVOT's long GRB observations and summarizes key scientific advances over 18 years.

## Key findings

- Enhanced understanding of early optical/UV afterglow emission.
- Identification of new features in GRB light curves.
- Improved models of GRB emission mechanisms.

## 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.