Inter Planetary Network - Rationale

Rationale

Gamma rays are too powerful to be focused with mirrors; rays would go through virtually all materials instead of reflecting. Because gamma rays cannot be focused into an image in the traditional sense, a unique location for a gamma ray source cannot be generated as with a radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, or soft-X-ray source.

In addition, gamma-ray bursts are brief flashes (often as little as 0.2 seconds) that occur randomly across the sky. Some forms of gamma-ray telescope can generate an image, but they require longer integration times, and cover only a fraction of the sky.

Once three spacecraft detect a GRB, their timings are sent to the ground for correlation. A sky position is derived, and distributed to the astronomical community for followup observations with optical, radio, or spaceborne telescopes.