[ Previous | Next | ADS ]

ATel #29; C. Kouveliotou, Universities Space Research Association, M. Kippen, P. Woods, G. Richardson, University of Alabama in Huntsville, V. Connaughton, National Research Council, report on behalf of the BATSE team at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
on 18 Jun 1998; 16:34 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice (Gamma-Ray Bursts)
Digitally Signed by rutledge@rosat.mpe-garching.mpg.de

Subjects: Gamma Ray, Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters
Referred to by ATel #: 30

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- BATSE has detected repeated soft gamma-ray bursts consistent with the same (previously unknown) location. We recorded three bursts on June 15.109, 15.296, 15.411 UT (BATSE triggers 6825, 6826, 6827, respectively) with an average duration of ~ 200 milliseconds. Preliminary spectral analysis of the data indicates that the events are very soft, with power law spectral indices varying between -3.0 and -7.0. BATSE triggered 5 more times, on June 17.873, 17.901, 18.004, 18.035, and 18.071 UT (BATSE trigger numbers 6833, 6834, 6835, 6836 and 6837, respectively). The last trigger had a peak count rate of over 300000 counts/sec above background (integrated over 4 detectors between 20-1000 keV, in 1 second interval) and a duration of ~ 3 seconds. Due to its very high peak intensity, deadtime effects prevent us from using it for localization, until we receive more data types. The weighted location of the 7 remaining triggers is centered on R.A. = 16h27m12.0s and dec = -41d06.0' with an error radius of about 2 degrees. This location does not correspond to any previously known SGR source; we conclude that we have discovered a new source, SGR1627-41. We have initiated an RXTE ToO and we strongly encourage wide field observations at other wavelengths. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBNYlB26wilB2KiT7BAQFM3gP/VJ+S0Q0RmdAx66xYFza/IfAk4iFZfRZ4 oJuFTArvAkwLF/5gb6waz8mJkbkynPrOn+8VKLqsPJZ4TpaZm9MliP+kOSAu+3e/ NSAS5mnhGiorZfKnjy+dwY06PGzBijBrtIo7ZBp+R/rcBOpgGTTRaKZoIN0dGo7a mpUmDS/x7Vs= =Z29p -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----