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| Abstract: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are energetic phenomena that serve as probes for extreme physics, but their emission mechanisms, jet geometry, and magnetic field structure are not well understood and require new detection capabilities. The Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) is a gamma-ray space telescope set to launch in 2027 that aims to further our understanding of GRBs, in addition to studying positron annihilation and nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy. COSI’s wide field-of-view, excellent energy resolution, sub-degree localizations, and polarization capabilities may reveal insight into GRB prompt emission. In this presentation, I will give a brief overview of the COSI mission and discuss the GRB science it enables. |
Cuán de Barra - "GIFTS (Gamma-Ray Investigation of the Full Transient Sky)"
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| Abstract: Gravitational waves were detected in 2015 for the first time. In 2017, gravitational waves from a binary neutron star merger were detected in coincidence with a gamma-ray burst (GRB) confirming that some short events are produced by mergers. The multi-messenger astrophysics era began, and the discovery highlighted the importance of space missions to detect and localise bursts at a time when gravitational wave systems are becoming more sensitive to merger events. Currently there is a lack of large future gamma-ray missions to enable similar measurements and scientific discovery. Consequently we propose to build Gamma-ray Investigation of the Full Transient Sky (GIFTS), a novel 6U CubeSat, which has been designed, prototyped and demonstrated previous work by the PI. The proposed design is based on detailed in-house instrument development and on the gamma-ray detector in the 2U CubeSat EIRSAT-1 which launched in 2023. GIFTS will comprise six gamma-ray detectors and will detect and localise 70 GRBs per year including 11 short GRBs. Detailed design and simulations demonstrate it will detect up to 2 GRBs per year coincident with GW detections. We will build and prepare GIFTS for operation when GW detectors reach peak sensitivity. |
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