 Diagram of the Gamma Ray Burst Coordinates Network. (NASA/GSFC) The Gamma Ray Burst Coordinates Network (GCN) is a system that distributes information about the location of a Gamma ray burst (GRB), called Notices, when a burst is detected by various spacecraft. The GCN also automatically receives and distributes messages, called Circulars, about follow-up observations to interested individuals and institutions. Follow-up observations may be made by ground-based and space-based optical, radio, and X-ray observatories. Optical afterglow of gamma ray burst GRB-990123 (the bright dot within the white square and in the enlarged cutout) on 23 January 1999. ...
GCN has its origins in the BATSE COordinates DIstribution NEtwork (BACODINE). The Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) was a scientific instrument on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO), and BACODINE monitored the BATSE real-time telemetry from CGRO. The first function of BACODINE was calculating the right ascension (RA) and declination (dec) locations for GRBs that it detected, and distributing those locations to sites around the world in real-time. Since the de-orbiting of the CGRO, this function of BACODINE is no longer operational. The second function of BACODINE was collecting right ascension and declination locations of GRBs detected by spacecraft other than CGRO, and then distributing that information. With this functionality, the original BACODINE name was changed to the more general name GCN. Illustration of CGRO The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory(CGRO) was the second of the NASA Great Observatories to be launched to space, following the Hubble Space Telescope. ...
Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ...
In astronomy, declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ...
GCN data flow
The GCN data flow starts when gamma rays from a GRB hit a detector on a spacecraft. The spacecraft sends the GRB location information down to a ground station, which in turn relays it to the GCN at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. At GFSC the location information is processed by GCN with custom hardware and software, and then Notices are sent to users via socket connection, e-mail, and pagers. Those users may then schedule follow-up observations of the GRB, and send refined information about the GRB back to the GCN. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Aerial view of Goddard Space Flight Center. ...
The expression Inter-process communication (IPC) describes the exchange of data between one process and another, either within the same computer or over a network. ...
Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Paging (telecommunications). ...
In the case of Swift, the GRB location information follows the same path, except it is transmitted from Swift up to a TDRS satellite, and then down to the White Sands Complex (WSC). From WSC, the location information is sent to GSFC via a domestic communications satellite (DOMSAT). The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission consists of an unmanned spacecraft called Swift, which was launched into orbit on November 20, 2004, at 17:16:00 UTC (12:16 PM, EST) on top of a Delta 2 rocket. ...
The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is a network of communications satellites (each called a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite or TDRS) used by NASA and other United States government agencies. ...
The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is a network of communications satellites (each called a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite or TDRS) used by NASA and other United States government agencies. ...
GCN Notices The following spacecraft, and instruments where noted, are sources of real-time GCN information: - High Energy Transient Explorer (WMM and SXC)
- INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)
- InterPlanetary Network (IPN) Position Notices from WIND (Konus) and Ulysses.
- Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (PCA and ASM)
- Swift provides data products not previously available from prior missions, including spectra, images, and lightcurves.
Past spacecraft and instruments that participated in GCN include ALEXIS, BeppoSAX, the Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) on CGRO, and the X-Ray/Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (XGRS) on NEAR Shoemaker. The High Energy Transient Explorer is an American astronomical satellite. ...
In calculus, the integral of a function is a generalization of area, mass, volume and total. ...
Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ...
Ulysses spacecraft Ulysses is an unmanned probe designed to study the Sun at all latitudes. ...
The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite observes the fast-moving, high-energy worlds of black holes, neutron stars, X-ray pulsars and bursts of X-rays that light up the sky and then disappear forever. ...
The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission consists of an unmanned spacecraft called Swift, which was launched into orbit on November 20, 2004, at 17:16:00 UTC (12:16 PM, EST) on top of a Delta 2 rocket. ...
Legend: γ = Gamma rays HX = Hard X-rays SX = Soft X-Rays EUV = Extreme ultraviolet NUV = Near ultraviolet Visible light NIR = Near infrared MIR = Moderate infrared FIR = Far infrared Radio waves: EHF = Extremely high frequency (Microwaves) SHF = Super high frequency (Microwaves) UHF = Ultrahigh frequency VHF = Very high frequency HF = High frequency...
BeppoSAX was an Italian-Dutch satellite for X-ray astronomy. ...
Near Earth Asteroid Eros as seen from the NEAR spacecraft. ...
GCN Circulars The GCN system has the capability to receive and distribute timely information on GRBs called GCN Circulars. Users e-mail their reports to a central location and then those reports will be automatically sent to an e-mail distribution list. This list of Circular recipients is completely separate from the list of Notice recipients. The GCN Observation Report Circulars allow the GRB follow-up community to make optimum use of limited resources, such as labor and telescope time, by communicating what has already been done or will soon be done.
Future plans for GCN To maximize the utility of the GCN system, GCN will make whatever modifications are necessary to incorporate and distribute GRB location information from new spacecraft and instruments as they become active. GCN will also expand its operations to include information about any astrophysical transients, including non-GRBs such as the extreme-ultraviolet transients detected by the ALEXIS spacecraft. Future spacecraft that will be distributing GRB locations via GCN include AGILE and GLAST. UV astronomy is the branch of astronomy and astrophysics which deals with objects visible in ultraviolet (UV) radiation. ...
The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is future space-based gamma-ray telescope, designed to explore the high-energy Universe. ...
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