IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF GRBS IN PROGRESS FROM HETE

The High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE) will be able to perform mu ltiwavelength observations of gamma-ray and X-ray bursts. HETE will po tentially be able to localize gamma-ray bursts to a precision of simil ar to 20 ace-minutes if significant X-ray flux is detected from the bu rst; a precision of similar to 20 are-seconds is possible if there is also significant UV radiation from the burst. HETE will broadcast info rmation about bursts detected within seconds of their detection. This VHF-band broadcast will be received at a number of secondary ground st ations (SGS) dedicated to HETE, and forwarded to a central distributio n site at MIT, from which it is sent to interested observers via Inter net.