Building the database
GRBweb is an IceCube tool that has been developed to provide a reliable catalogue of gamma-ray bursts. The main strength of GRBweb is that it combines the information from multiple detectors, including ground based observatories, offering precise localisations of GRBs whenever possible. GRBweb uses a set of automated Python scripts to update its database on a weekly basis.
Data sources:
- GCN-circulars:
GCN-circulars (available here) are human readable text-files via which both satellite and ground-based observatories report GRB observations in real-time. These text files are parsed using a set of Python scripts that extract the GRB variables using regular expressions. - Fermi-GBM:
Because not all GRBs detected by Fermi-GBM are reported as GCN-circulars, the information is supplemented using the full Fermi-GBM GRB catalogue (available from the HEASARC archive). - Fermi-LAT:
Information on bursts observed by Fermi-LAT is obtained from the LAT database. - Swift:
Information on bursts observed by Swift (BAT, UVOT & XRT) is obtained from the SWIFT database. - IPN:
Information on bursts observed by IPN is obtained from IPN bursts. - BeppoSAX:
Information on bursts observed by BeppoSAX is obtained from the HEASARC BeppoSAX catalog. - BATSE:
Information on bursts observed by BATSE is obtained from the BATSE catalog. This catalog includes all bursts of the 4B catalog as well as other bursts that had since been discovered.
Other useful links:
- Fermi-GBM ftp server:
https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/FTP/fermi/data/gbm/bursts/ - KONUS-Wind light-curves:
https://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/ipn/gcn_ipn_raw.html - Swift-XRT data products:
http://www.swift.ac.uk/xrt_products/index.php - HEASARC website & database:
https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/archive.html - POLAR light-curves:
https://www.isdc.unige.ch/polar/lc - A bibliography of almost all GRB publications:
http://ipn3.ssl.berkeley.edu/biblionew.pdf
We are extremely grateful to everyone contributing to the construction and maintenance of these
data sources!
Concerning references, please refer to the original catalogs.