GCN Circular 1393

HETE Observations of GX354-0 (= MXB1728-34, so-called "Slow Burster")

G. Ricker, J-L Atteia, N. Kawai, D. Lamb, and S. Woosley on behalf of 
the HETE Science Team;

N. Butler, J. Villasenor, G. Crew, J. Doty, G. Monnelly, R. 
Vanderspek, T. Cline, J.G. Jernigan, A. Levine, F. Martel, E. Morgan, 
G. Prigozhin, J. Braga, R. Manchanda, and G. Pizzichini, on behalf of 
the HETE Operations and HETE Optical-SXC Teams;

Y. Shirasaki, M. Matsuoka, T. Tamagawa, K. Torii, T. Sakamoto, A. 
Yoshida, E. Fenimore, M. Galassi, T. Tavenner, T. Donaghy, and C. 
Graziani, on behalf of the HETE WXM Team;

M. Boer, J-F Olive, J-P Dezalay, and K. Hurley on behalf of the HETE 
FREGATE Team;

write:

Beginning on 20 May 2002, the fields-of-view of the Fregate and WXM 
instruments on HETE have been pointed toward a  region of the sky 
near the Galactic Center (GC) that is populated  by a large number of 
X-ray burst (XRB) sources. Bursts from one XRB source in particular, 
GX354-0 (=MXB1728-34, the so-called "Slow Burster"), are being 
detected and localized regularly. Four bursts from this source were 
detected on 21-22 May. During the next ~4 days (i.e., until 26 May), 
the FOVs of FREGATE and WXM will continue to point toward the GC; 
i.e., in a direction that is favorable for the detection of XRBs from 
GX354-0 and from other XRB sources.  The current plan is for HETE to 
then point away from the GC until ~1 June, after which it will again 
point toward the GC until the end of June. To better inform observers 
about these X-ray bursts, the HETE Team will regularly post the 
occurrence times, and signal-to-noise levels in the 8-40 keV band, of 
GX354-0 bursts. A link to these postings is given at the HETE website:

http://space.mit.edu/HETE/

Should XRBs from other notable X-ray burst sources become active and 
localizable, the times and brightnesses of these bursts will be 
posted at the same site.

This message is citeable.