5,486 research outputs found
Do long-duration GRBs follow star formation?
We compare the luminosity function and rate inferred from the BATSE long
bursts peak flux distribution with those inferred from the Swift peak flux
distribution. We find that both the BATSE and the Swift peak fluxes can be
fitted by the same luminosity function and the two samples are compatible with
a population that follows the star formation rate. The estimated local long GRB
rate (without beaming corrections) varies by a factor of five from 0.05
Gpc^(-3)yr^(-1) for a rate function that has a large fraction of high redshift
bursts to 0.27 Gpc^(-3)yr^(-1) for a rate function that has many local ones. We
then turn to compare the BeppoSax/HETE2 and the Swift observed redshift
distributions and compare them with the predictions of the luminosity function
found. We find that the discrepancy between the BeppoSax/HETE2 and Swift
observed redshift distributions is only partially explained by the different
thresholds of the detectors and it may indicate strong selection effects. After
trying different forms of the star formation rate (SFR) we find that the
observed Swift redshift distribution, with more observed high redshift bursts
than expected, is inconsistent with a GRB rate that simply follows current
models for the SFR. We show that this can be explained by GRB evolution beyond
the SFR (more high redshift bursts). Alternatively this can also arise if the
luminosity function evolves and earlier bursts were more luminous or if strong
selection effects affect the redshift determination.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in JCA
GW170817: implications for the local kilonova rate and for surveys from ground-based facilities
We compute the local rate of events similar to GRB 170817A, which has been
recently found to be associated with a kilonova (KN) outburst. Our analysis
finds an observed rate of such events of R
Gpcyr. After comparing at their face values this density of sGRB
outbursts with the much higher density of Binary Neutron Star (BNS) mergers of
1540 Gpcyr, estimated by LIGO-Virgo
collaboration, one can conclude, admittedly with large uncertainty that either
only a minor fraction of BNS mergers produces sGRB/KN events or the sGRBs
associated with BNS mergers are beamed and observable under viewing angles as
large as . Finally we provide preliminary estimates
of the number of sGRB/KN events detected by future surveys carried out with
present/future ground-based/space facilities, such as LSST, VST, ZTF, SKA and
THESEUS.Comment: MNRAS accepted, 6 pages, 1 figur
IceCube Non-detection of GRBs: Constraints on the Fireball Properties
The increasingly deep limit on the neutrino emission from gamma-ray bursts
(GRBs) with IceCube observations has reached the level that could put useful
constraints on the fireball properties. We first present a revised analytic
calculation of the neutrino flux, which predicts a flux an order of magnitude
lower than that obtained by the IceCube collaboration. For benchmark model
parameters (e.g. the bulk Lorentz factor is \Gamma=10^{2.5}, the observed
variability time for long GRBs is t_v=0.01 s and the ratio between the energy
in accelerated protons and in radiation is \eta_p=10 for every burst) in the
standard internal shock scenario, the predicted neutrino flux from 215 bursts
during the period of the 40-string and 59-string configurations is found to be
a factor of ~3 below the IceCube sensitivity. However, if we accept the
recently found inherent relation between the bulk Lorentz factor and burst
energy, the expected neutrino flux increases significantly and the spectral
peak shifts to lower energy. In this case, the non-detection then implies that
the baryon loading ratio should be \eta_p<10 if the variability time of long
GRBs is fixed to t_v=0.01 s. Instead, if we relax the standard internal shock
scenario but keep to assume \eta_p=10, the non-detection constrains the
dissipation radius to be R>4x10^{12} cm assuming the same dissipation radius
for every burst and benchmark parameters for fireballs. We also calculate the
diffuse neutrino flux from GRBs for different luminosity functions existing in
the literature. The expected flux exceeds the current IceCube limit for some
luminosity functions, and thus the non-detection constrains \eta_p<10 in such
cases when the variability time of long GRBs is fixed to t_v=0.01 s.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 14 pages, 5 figures, typos corrected, scheduled for
the June 10, 2012, v752 - 1 issu
The variable X-ray light curve of GRB 050713A: the case of refreshed shocks
We present a detailed study of the spectral and temporal properties of the
X-ray and optical emission of GRB050713a up to 0.5 day after the main GRB
event. The X-ray light curve exhibits large amplitude variations with several
rebrightenings superposed on the underlying three-segment broken powerlaw that
is often seen in Swift GRBs. Our time-resolved spectral analysis supports the
interpretation of a long-lived central engine, with rebrightenings consistent
with energy injection in refreshed shocks as slower shells generated in the
central engine prompt phase catch up with the afterglow shock at later times.
Our sparsely-sampled light curve of the optical afterglow can be fitted with a
single power law without large flares. The optical decay index appears flatter
than the X-ray one, especially at later times.Comment: few changes, to be published in A&
Neutrinos From Individual Gamma-Ray Bursts in the BATSE Catalog
We calculate the neutrino emission from individual gamma-ray bursts observed
by the BATSE detector on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. Neutrinos are
produced by photoproduction of pions when protons interact with photons in the
region where the kinetic energy of the relativistic fireball is dissipated
allowing the acceleration of electrons and protons. We also consider models
where neutrinos are predominantly produced on the radiation surrounding the
newly formed black hole. From the observed redshift and photon flux of each
individual burst, we compute the neutrino flux in a variety of models based on
the assumption that equal kinetic energy is dissipated into electrons and
protons. Where not measured, the redshift is estimated by other methods. Unlike
previous calculations of the universal diffuse neutrino flux produced by all
gamma-ray bursts, the individual fluxes (compiled at
http://www.arcetri.astro.it/~dafne/grb/) can be directly compared with
coincident observations by the AMANDA telescope at the South Pole. Because of
its large statistics, our predictions are likely to be representative for
future observations with larger neutrino telescopes.Comment: 49 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Astroparticle
Physic
An Observational Limit on the Earliest GRBs
We predict the redshift of the first observable (i.e., in our past light
cone) Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) and calculate the GRB-rate redshift distribution of
the Population III stars at very early times (z=20-60). Using the last 2 years
of data from Swift we place an upper limit on the efficiency (\eta_{GRB}) of
GRB production per solar mass from the first generation of stars. We find that
the first observable GRB is most likely to have formed at redshift 60. The
observed rate of extremely high redshift GRBs (XRGs) is a subset of a group of
15 long GRBs per year, with no associated redshift and no optical afterglow
counterparts, detected by Swift. Taking this maximal rate we get that
\eta_{GRB}<1.1~10^{-4} GRBs per solar mass in stars. A more realistic
evaluation, e.g., taking a subgroup of 5% of the total sample of Swift gives an
upper limit of \eta_{GRB}<3.2~10^{-5} GRBs per solar mass.Comment: 6 Pages, 3 figures, submitted to MNRA
Low-Luminosity Gamma-Ray Bursts as a Distinct GRB Population:A Firmer Case from Multiple Criteria Constraints
The intriguing observations of Swift/BAT X-ray flash XRF 060218 and the
BATSE-BeppoSAX gamma-ray burst GRB 980425, both with much lower luminosity and
redshift compared to other observed bursts, naturally lead to the question of
how these low-luminosity (LL) bursts are related to high-luminosity (HL)
bursts. Incorporating the constraints from both the flux-limited samples
observed with CGRO/BATSE and Swift/BAT and the redshift-known GRB sample, we
investigate the luminosity function for both LL- and HL-GRBs through
simulations. Our multiple criteria, including the log N - log P distributions
from the flux-limited GRB sample, the redshift and luminosity distributions of
the redshift-known sample, and the detection ratio of HL- and LL- GRBs with
Swift/BAT, provide a set of stringent constraints to the luminosity function.
Assuming that the GRB rate follows the star formation rate, our simulations
show that a simple power law or a broken power law model of luminosity function
fail to reproduce the observations, and a new component is required. This
component can be modeled with a broken power, which is characterized by a sharp
increase of the burst number at around L < 10^47 erg s^-1}. The lack of
detection of moderate-luminosity GRBs at redshift ~0.3 indicates that this
feature is not due to observational biases. The inferred local rate, rho_0, of
LL-GRBs from our model is ~ 200 Gpc^-3 yr^-1 at ~ 10^47 erg s^-1, much larger
than that of HL-GRBs. These results imply that LL-GRBs could be a separate GRB
population from HL-GRBs. The recent discovery of a local X-ray transient
080109/SN 2008D would strengthen our conclusion, if the observed non-thermal
emission has a similar origin as the prompt emission of most GRBs and XRFs.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables; MNRAS, in press; Updated analysis and
figure
Wide Angle X-ray Sky Monitoring for Corroborating non-Electromagnetic Cosmic Transients
Gravitational waves (GW) can be emitted from coalescing neutron star (NS) and
black hole-neutron star (BH-NS) binaries, which are thought to be the sources
of short hard gamma ray bursts (SHBs). The gamma ray fireballs seem to be
beamed into a small solid angle and therefore only a fraction of detectable GW
events is expected to be observationally coincident with SHBs. Similarly
ultrahigh energy (UHE) neutrino signals associated with gamma ray bursts (GRBs)
could fail to be corroborated by prompt gamma-ray emission if the latter is
beamed in a narrower cone than the neutrinos. Alternative ways to corroborate
non-electromagnetic signals from coalescing neutron stars are therefore all the
more desirable. It is noted here that the extended X-ray tails (XRT) of SHBs
are similar to X-ray flashes (XRFs), and that both can be attributed to an
off-axis line of sight and thus span a larger solid angle than the hard
emission. It is proposed that a higher fraction of detectable GW events may be
coincident with XRF/XRT than with hard gamma-rays, thereby enhancing the
possibility to detect it as a GW or neutrino source. Scattered gamma-rays,
which may subtend a much larger solid angle that the primary gamma ray jet, are
also candidates for corroborating non-electromagnetic signals.Comment: 13 pages, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letter
The BATSE-Swift luminosity and redshift distributions of short-duration GRBs
We compare the luminosity function and rate inferred from the BATSE short
hard bursts (SHBs) peak flux distribution with the redshift and luminosity
distributions of SHBs observed by Swift/HETE II. While the Swift/HETE II SHB
sample is incompatible with SHB population that follows the star formation
rate, it is compatible with a SHB rate that reflect a distribution of delay
times after the SFR. This would be the case if SHBs are associated with binary
neutron star mergers. The available data allows, however, different
interpretations. For example, a population whose rate is independent of the
redshift fits the data very well. The implied SHB rates that we find range from
to Gpcyr. This is a much higher rate
than what was previously estimated. A detailed (2 dimensional) look at the best
fit models shows, however, some discrepancy between the four Swift/HETE II SHBs
and the models based on BATSE SHBs. This could be a statistical fluke. It could
also arise from wrong estimates of the triggering criteria or from selection
effects. If real it may indicate the existence of two SHB populations with
different luminosity functions and redshift distributions.Comment: Revised version includes additional bursts and revised redshift of
older burst
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