Swift/UVOT: 18 Years of Long GRB Discoveries and Advances

Abstract

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift) has been in operation for 18 years. The Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) onboard Swift was designed to capture the earliest optical/UV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), spanning the first few minutes to days after the prompt gamma-ray emission. In this article, we provide an overview of the long GRBs (whose prompt gamma-ray duration is >2 s) observed by the Swift/UVOT, and review the major discoveries that have been achieved by the Swift/UVOT over the last 18 years. We discuss where improvements have been made to our knowledge and understanding of the optical/UV emission, particularly the early optical/UV afterglow.