SNEWS: the Supernova Early Warning System

Volume 29 number 1 (2001)

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A. St. J. Murphy

Dept. of Physics The Ohio State University 174 West 18th Avenue Columbus, OH 43212

Abstract

The world's leading neutrino and gravitational wave detectors have come together in a collaboration with the aim of providing traditional optical astronomers an early warning of an impending Galactic supernova. It is expected that a robust alert can be issued within 15 minutes of the neutrino and gravitational wave detection, leading to an early warning of between 15 minutes and eight hours of the optical signal's arrival, depending on the progenitor. Additionally, the direction of the supernova can be determined to around 5?. Such an alert will provide invaluable warning, allowing the more precise location necessary for the world's premier telescopes to be determined more quickly, through both all-sky monitors and amateurs ready to start observing upon issuance of an alert. THis talk describes the motivation and implementation of SNEWS, the current status, and the planned methods for distribution of an alert to astronomers.