Speaker
Description
The Chinese-French space mission SVOM (Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor) is mainly designed to detect and localize Gamma-Ray Burst events (GRBs). The satellite, to be launched late 2021, embarks a set of gamma-ray, X-ray and optical imagers. Thanks to its pointing strategy, quick slew capability and fast data connection to earth, ground based observations with large telescopes will allow us to measure redshifts for an unprecedented number of GRBs. While the association of long GRBs with core-collapse SNe is well established, short GRBs are most likely due to NS-NS or NS-BH mergers and are thus expected to occur simultaneously with bursts of gravitational waves. I will discuss the overall science goals of the SVOM mission in the framework of the multi-wavelength and multi-messenger panorama of the next decade.
