TITLE: GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT NUMBER: 1014 SUBJECT: GRB010326: Localization by HETE DATE: 01/03/26 07:24:42 GMT FROM: George Ricker at MIT G. Ricker, D. Lamb, and S. Woosley on behalf of the HETE Science Team; R. Vanderspek, G. Crew, J. Doty, G. Monnelly, J. Villasenor; N. Butler, T. Cline, J.G. Jernigan, A. Levine, F. Martel, G. Pizzichini, and G. Prigozhin, on behalf of the HETE Operations and HETE Optical-SXC Teams; N. Kawai, M. Matsuoka, Y. Shirasaki, T. Tamagawa, A. Yoshida, E. Fenimore, M. Galassi, B. Preger, and C. Graziani, on behalf of the HETE WXM Team; J-L Atteia, M. Boer, J-F Olive, J-P Dezalay, and K. Hurley on behalf of the HETE FREGATE Team; write: On 26 March 2001 at 03:15:00 UTC, a hard spectrum, high energy transient at high galactic latitude was detected and localized by HETE. Both the FREGATE and the WXM instruments detected the event. The burst triggered FREGATE in the 30-400 keV band. The preliminary coordinates of the burst are R.A. = 11h50m59.11s, Dec. = -23°32'44" (J2000), derived from combining data from the WXM and Boresighted Optical Cameras. The statistical error radius in the WXM localization is 10 arcmin (90% confidence). In addition, we estimate a systematic error radius at present of 20 arcmin about this location. The spacecraft aspect was known to an accuracy of +/- 2 arcmin (95% confidence) from the optical cameras, and will be improved. The burst exhibited a multiple-peaked structure and lasted about 25 seconds. The peak flux seen with FREGATE (6-30 keV) was ~1 Crab. The peak flux was significantly less in the WXM. Follow-up observations of this GRB event are encouraged. Additional information on GRB010326 (including light curves and the WXM error box), as well as the HETE mission, is available at: http://space.mit.edu/HETE/ Acronyms: HETE=High Energy Transient Explorer FREGATE=French Gamma Ray Telescope WXM=Wide Field X-ray Monitor SXC=Soft X-ray Camera This message may be cited.