Burst Detector Sensitivity: Past, Present & Future

I compare the burst detection sensitivity of CGRO's BATSE, Swift's BAT, the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM) and EXIST as a function of a burst's spectrum and duration. A detector's overall burst sensitivity depends on its energy sensitivity and set of accumulations times Delta t; these two factors shape the detected burst population. For example, relative to BATSE, the BAT's softer energy band decreases the detection rate of short, hard bursts, while the BAT's longer accumulation times increase the detection rate of long, soft bursts. Consequently, Swift is detecting long, low fluence bursts (2-3x fainter than BATSE).