The MAGIC Telescope - prospects for GRB research

Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain

Send offprint request to: D. Petry

Received: 29 December 1998
Accepted: 15 March 1999

Abstract

The Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) Telescope collaboration is constructing a large Cherenkov telescope (17 m diameter) for the exploration of the gamma-ray energy regime above 10 GeV with high sensitivity. One of the highlights in the science program of this future observatory are the plans for fast follow-up observations of of GRBs. By "fast” we mean delays of less than 30 s between notification and the beginning of observations. The expected gamma counting rates are of the order of 100 Hz for a EGRET counting rate of 0.1 Hz above 100 MeV and a spectral index of 2.0 (this would correspond to a fluence of 10^-5 erg cm^-2 for 60 s burst duration). The good photon statistics will permit determination of spectra, search for cutoffs and measurement of light-curves with a time resolution of the order of 1 s.