The AAVSO would like to thank the Curry Foundation and NASA for grants supporting this network. Without their support the great successes we've had would not be possible.

One of the main AAVSO International High Energy Network projects is to discover and monitor the optical counterparts of gamma-ray bursts (GRB's) through a coordinated rapid response network.

Through a connection with the GCN at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, notifications of recent GRB detections by orbiting satellites is distributed to the AAVSO. Our network takes these notices and distributes them, in turn, to our members based on a set of filters each observer specifies. The distribution method is primarily via e-mail, cell phone, and pager.

Satellite detects GRB -> Relay Station -> GCN@Goddard -> AAVSO HQ -> You!
then at AAVSO HQ:
Pagers Sounded -> Email Alerts Sent -> Charts Made & Placed Online -> Photometry Online

Depending upon the satellite that detected the GRB, the entire process can take from a few hours to a few seconds.

The speed of notification is key because most optical counterparts to GRBs discovered so far have been faint and very quickly became even fainter. The faster we react, the better chance we have of finding the counterpart and/or creating a light curve.

Why are we doing this? Because GRBs are fascinating. They may hold one of the keys to better understanding our Universe. They are the most powerful explosions of energy yet discovered. They may be used as distance markers, glimpses into the early days of our universe, and much more. But none of this can happen unless we obtain more information on these strange events.

This is one of the wonderful areas of science where amateurs can make very real contributions to cutting edge research and discovery.

• Powerpoint introduction to Gamma-Ray Bursts
• Click here for a GRB animation from NASA (GRB.MOV)
• What in the world is a gamma ray burst? A page by network member Steve Robinson
• Amateur Astronomy Near the Edge of the Universe: A presentation about the GRB network by network member Chuck Pullen
• GRB030329: A sample of what the network does.