NASA ROSES-09 Amendment 7: Revised text for D.6 Swift Guest Investigator

This amendment presents new text for Appendix D.6, Swift Guest Investigator – Cycle 6, which replaces the prior version in its entirety.

The Swift Guest Investigator (GI) Program solicits proposals for basic research relevant to the Swift gamma-ray burst mission. The primary goal of this mission is to determine the origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and use these bursts to probe the early universe. Swift is also a valuable asset for obtaining multiwavelength images, spectra, and light curves on interesting Targets of Opportunity (ToOs) and other nontransient sources.

The Swift GI program is intended to provide the following to participating scientists: funding to carry out investigations using Swift data, to conduct correlative observations at other wavelengths, and to conduct theoretical investigations in support of Swift observations; involvement with the Swift science team in the analysis and interpretation of GRB data obtained with the observatory; rapid, time-critical multiwavelength follow-up observations on unique astrophysical ToOs; and multiwavelength non-ToO observations on compelling astrophysical sources.

The main changes from Cycle 5 AO are: 1) the number of monitoring proposals is not as highly constrained, 2) the budget ceiling for “Fill-in” target proposals has been halved to $20K, 3) the page limit for proposals in the “High-redshift” GRB category has been raised from 4 to 6 pages and their budget ceiling increased, 4) the definition and limits of time-constrained observations have been added, 5) contact information has been updated, and 6) due dates have changed.

Notices of Intent to propose (NOIs) are now due August 26, 2009, and proposals are now due September 30, 2009.

On or about June 19, 2009, this Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement “Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2009” (NNH09ZDA001N) will be posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select “Solicitations” then “Open Solicitations” then “NNH09ZDA001N”).

Further information about this program element is available from Dr. Ilana M. Harrus, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001; Telephone: (202) 358-1250; E-mail: Ilana.M.Harrus@nasa.gov.