TITLE: GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT NUMBER: 1393 SUBJECT: HETE Observations of GX354-0 (= MXB1728-34, so-called "Slow DATE: 02/05/23 02:58:28 GMT FROM: George Ricker at MIT 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.