TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  1064
SUBJECT: HETE Fully-Automated GCN Notices
DATE:    01/05/31 23:09:24 GMT
FROM:    Scott Barthelmy at NASA/GSFC  <scott@lheamail.gsfc.nasa.gov>

During the past two weeks, the final testing of HETE-GCN rapid data 
interfaces was successfully completed.  Beginning today, HETE 
localization releases are fully automatic.  HETE Notices will now be 
promptly distributed through the GCN system.  The HETE positions
are calculated on-board, down-linked through the 12 Secondary ground
stations, forwarded to the HETE Ops computer at MIT, and then forwarded
to GCN for distribution to those GCN sites that have elected to receive
the GCN/HETE Notices (Alert, Update, Final, and/or GroundAnalysis subtypes).
This is the full automated process; there are no humans in the loop,
i.e. the minimum possible delay time.  The time delays range
from 10 sec to 30 sec for the Alert and Update Notices (Updates are
the first notice subtype that has position information.)

A detailed description of the HETE Notices is contained in:
http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn/hete.html
and for the socket sites, the packets are defined in:
http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn/sock_pkt_def_doc.html

It should be stressed that because this is the fully automated, 
"hands off" processing procedure, there will inevitably be non-GRB 
triggers included in those sent to the ground and distributed.
In fact, during the June-July period, when the Galactic Bulge region
is passing through the HETE field-of-view, the majority of the triggers 
will be non-GRBs.  While this is probably not a problem for the 
automated instrument GCN sites, those sites that involve human effort 
and/or consumables must understand that many of the HETE Notices will 
be non-GRBs (eg x-ray bursters, soft gamma repeaters, flaring 
galactic sources, etc).

In general, there will also be follow-up GCN Circulars disseminated 
for HETE burst events which prove to be confirmed GRBs.  These 
follow-up Circulars will be based on detailed telemetry data which 
becomes available on the ground 1-2 orbits after the burst, so such 
HETE Circulars will lag the HETE Notices by a few hours.

All those sites who have requested the HETE Notices to be enabled 
need do nothing.  They will receive them.  If sites wish to change 
their configuration, then please send a request.