GCN Circular 107

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:

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.