Abstract
The possibility of studying GRBs with the ESA Gaia and LOFT missions is briefly addressed. The ESA Gaia satellite to be launched in November 2013 will focus on high precision astrometry of stars and all objects down to limiting magnitude 20. The satellite will also provide photometric and spectral information and hence important inputs for various branches of astrophysics, including the study of GRBs and related optical afterglows (OAs) and optical transients (OTs). The strength of Gaia in GRB analyses will be the fine spectral resolution (spectro-photometry and ultra-low dispersion spectroscopy), which will allow the correct classication of related triggers. An interesting feature of Gaia BP and RP instruments will be the study of highly redshifted triggers. Similarly, the low dispersion spectroscopy provided by various plate surveys can also supply valuable data for investigations of high-energy sources. The ESA LOFT candidate mission, now in the assessment study phase, will also be able to detect and be used in the study of GRBs, with emphasis on low-energy (X-ray) emission.
Highlights
This paper briefly discusses the potential of the ESA Gaia and Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT) missions for studying gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs)
This paper briefly discusses the potential of the ESA Gaia and LOFT missions for studying gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs)
The main objective is to investigate the optical counterparts of high-energy astrophysical sources including high-mass X-ray binaries, low-mass X-ray binaries, X-ray transients, X-ray novae, microquasars, optical transients (OTs) and optical afterglows (OAs) related to X-ray flashes and GRBs, etc
Summary
This paper briefly discusses the potential of the ESA Gaia and LOFT missions for studying gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs). Gaia will provide several advantages for studies of the optical counterparts of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). It will have a deep limiting magnitude of 20 mag [5], much deeper than most previous studies and global surveys. Perhaps the most important benefit of Gaia for these studies will be the color (spectral) resolution thanks to the low-resolution (prism) Gaia photometer. This will allow some detailed studies involving analyses of the color and spectral changes that were not possible before. The ESA LOFT satellite, in the assessment phase, will have a potential for GRB investigations, with emphasis on their X-ray emission, as briefly discussed below
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