MG11 
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Gamma-Ray Bursts with the SWIFT mission

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are bright, brief flashes of high energy photons and are the most powerful explosions since the Big Bang, with typical energies up to 1051-54 ergs. They come in two classes: long (>2 s), soft spectrum bursts and short, hard events. SWIFT has detected over 140 gamma-ray bursts in its first 1.5 years in orbit. SWIFT has obtained the first accurate localizations and afterglow detections of short bursts, leading to the discovery that the progenitors are different from those of long bursts and are likely to be the merger of compact binaries. SWIFT has detected many high-redshift GRBs, including one at z=6.29 and the SWIFT sample traces star formation rate in the Universe. GRB’s in the long-burst data-set exhibit unexpected structure and persistent flaring in the afterglow decay indicating extended activity of the central engine beyond the duration of the initial gamma prompt emission.