Title: Ground-based Gamma-Ray Burst Follow-up Efforts: Results of the First Two Years of the BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU Rapid Response Network Authors: MCNAMARA, BERNARD J.; HARRISON, THOMAS E.; RYAN, J.; KIPPEN, R. M.; MCCONNELL, M.; MACRI, J.; KOUVELIOTOU, C.; FISHMAN, G. J.; MEEGAN, C. A.; GREEN, D. A.; KORANYI, D. M.; WARNER, P. J.; WALDRAM, E. M.; HANLON, L.; BENNETT, K.; SPOELSTRA, T. A. TH.; METLOV, V. G.; METLOVA, N. V.; FEIGELSON, E.; BEASLEY, A. J.; PALMER, D. M.; BARTHELMY, S. D.; GARY, DALE E.; OLSEN, E. T.; LEVIN, S.; WANNIER, P. G.; JANSSEN, M. A.; MACHO COLLABORATION, THE; BOROVICKA, J.; PRAVEC, P.; HUDEC, R.; COE, M. J. Journal: Astrophysical Journal Supplement v.103, p.173 Publication Date: 03/1996 Origin: APJ ApJ Keywords: GAMMA RAYS: BURSTS Bibliographic Code: 1996ApJS..103..173M Abstract: In this paper we describe the capabilities of the BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU Rapid Response Network and report on results obtained during its first two years of operation. This network is a worldwide association of 22 radio and optical observatories that perform follow-up searches of newly discovered gamma-ray burst error boxes by the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. During the last two years, it has deeply imaged 10 gamma-ray error boxes over time frames from a few hours to a month after burst detcetion, and it finds no sources that can be associated unambiguously with a gamma-ray burst. We suggest that significant optical or radio emission is not produced by gamma-ray bursts more than a day after the burst. This result is consistent with recent theoretical models by Katz, Meszaros, Rees and Papathanassiou, and Paczynski & Rhodes; however, our hours-to-days optical response time and radio sensitivity limits allow only a weak constraint to be placed on these models. Based upon this study and other published works, we suggest that future work should concentrate on acquiring deep optical images (m >= 12) of small gamma-ray error boxes well within a day of the burst. Ideally, radio observations should begin as soon as possible after the burst, reach a sensitivity of <= 1 mJy, and be continued with occasional images being acquired for at least a month following burst detection. -eof-