@inproceedings{dfb4f9f5029c4b048ce6185dae004f5c,
title = "The Swift X-ray telescope: Status and performance",
abstract = "We present science highlights and performance from the Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT), which was launched on November 20, 2004. The XRT covers the 0.2-10 keV band, and spends most of its time observing gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows, though it has also performed observations of many other objects. By mid-August 2007, the XRT had observed over 220 GRB afterglows, detecting about 96% of them. The XRT positions enable followup ground-based optical observations, with roughly 60% of the afterglows detected at optical or near IR wavelengths. Redshifts are measured for 33% of X-ray afterglows. Science highlights include the discovery of flaring behavior at quite late times, with implications for GRB central engines; localization of short GRBs, leading to observational support for compact merger progenitors for this class of bursts; a mysterious plateau phase to GRB afterglows; as well as many other interesting observations such as X-ray emission from comets, novae, galactic transients, and other objects.",
author = "Burrows, {David N.} and Kennea, {J. A.} and Abbey, {A. F.} and A. Beardmore and S. Campana and M. Capalbi and G. Chincarini and G. Cusumano and Evans, {P. A.} and Hill, {J. E.} and P. Giommi and M. Goad and O. Godet and A. Moretti and Morris, {D. C.} and Osborne, {J. P.} and C. Pagani and Page, {K. L.} and M. Perri and J. Racusin and P. Romano and Starling, {R. L.C.} and G. Tagliaferri and F. Tamburelli and Tyler, {L. G.} and R. Willingale",
year = "2007",
doi = "10.1117/12.735130",
language = "English (US)",
isbn = "9780819468345",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
booktitle = "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV",
note = "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV ; Conference date: 26-08-2007 Through 27-08-2007",
}