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The GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM) will enhance LAT observations of GRBs by extending the spectral coverage from the LAT threshold down to 8 keV, and will provide a trigger for re-orienting the spacecraft to observe delayed emission from selected bursts outside the LAT field of view. GBM consists of twelve NaI scintillation detectors operating in the 8 keV to 1 MeV energy range and two BGO scintillation detectors operating in the 150 keV to 30 MeV energy range. Detector resolution, effective area, and angular response have been determined by calibrations. Analyses indicate that the on-board burst threshold will be 0.7 photons cm-2s-1 and the on-board burst localization accuracy will typically be better than 8deg.

We compare predicted Type Ib/c supernova (SN) rates with the observed long‐duration gamma‐ray burst (GRB) rates both locally and as a function of redshift. To do that, we assume different star formation histories in galaxies of different morphological type: ellipticals, spirals and irregulars. In particular, the predicted Type Ib/c SN rate (SNRIb/c) is always higher than the GRB rate, as expected, suggesting that only a small fraction (0.1–1%) of them become GRBs. We predict a ratio between the cosmic GRB rate and the cosmic SNRIb/c in the range 10−2 – 10−3, in agreement with previous estimates. Finally, due to the high star formation in spheroids at high redshift, we predict more GRBs at high redshift than previous estimates, a prediction which awaits to be proven by future observations by GLAST. Based on our studies and on the current LAT performance, an estimate of the detection possibility of this high‐redshift burst population is finally presented.

The GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM) is the secondary instrument on NASA's next Gamma-ray mission GLAST. It will enhance the capabilities of GLAST by locating and detecting cosmic gamma-ray bursts at lower energies by the use of 12 NaI detectors (energy range 10 keV to 1 MeV) and 2 BGO-detectors (energy range 150 keV to 30 MeV). GBM was built in a close collaboration between the MPE and the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The angular and energy response of each GBM detector has been calibrated using various radioactive sources at different incidence angles relative to the detector in a laboratory environment at the MPE in 2005. To facilitate the understanding of the reconstruction of the detector response, a detailed simulation of the whole laboratory environment and the setup of the calibration source were performed. A modified version of the CERN GEANT 4 simulation software (provided by collaborators at the Los Alamos National Laboratory) was used.