Closure Relations of Synchrotron Self-Compton in Afterglow stratified medium and Fermi-LAT Detected Gamma-Ray Bursts

The Second Gamma-ray Burst Catalog (2FLGC) was announced by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) Collaboration. It includes 29 bursts with photon energy higher than 10 GeV. Gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow observations have been adequately explained by the classic synchrotron forward-shock model, however, photon energies greater than 10 GeV from these transient events are challenging, if not impossible, to characterize using this afterglow model. Recently, the closure relations (CRs) of the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) forward-shock model evolving in a stellar wind and homogeneous medium was presented to analyze the evolution of the spectral and temporal indexes of those bursts reported in 2FLGC. In this work, we provide the CRs of the same afterglow model, but evolving in an intermediate density profile ($\propto {\rm r^{-k}}$) with ${\rm 0\leq k \leq2.5}$, taking into account the adiabatic/radiative regime and with/without energy injection for any value of the electron spectral index. The results show that the current model accounts for a considerable subset of GRBs that cannot be interpreted in either stellar-wind or homogeneous afterglow SSC model. The analysis indicates that the best-stratified scenario is most consistent with ${\rm k=0.5}$ for no-energy injection and ${\rm k=2.5}$ for energy injection.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

A theoretical model of an off-axis GRB jet

In light of the most recent observations of late afterglows produced by the merger of compact objects or by the core-collapse of massive dying stars, we research the evolution of the afterglow produced by an off-axis top-hat jet and its interaction with a surrounding medium. The medium is parametrized by a power law distribution of the form $n(r)\propto r^{-k}$ is the stratification parameter and contains the development when the surrounding density is constant ($k=0$) or wind-like ($k=2$). We develop an analytical synchrotron forward-shock model when the outflow is viewed off-axis, and it is decelerated by a stratified medium. Using the X-ray data points collected by a large campaign of orbiting satellites and ground telescopes, we have managed to apply our model and fit the X-ray spectrum of the GRB afterglow associated to SN 2020bvc with conventional parameters. Our model predicts that its circumburst medium is parametrized by a power law with stratification parameter $k=1.5$.Comment: Presented at the 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2021), Berlin, German

Decelerated sub-relativistic material with energy Injection

We investigate the evolution of the afterglow produced by the deceleration of the non-relativistic material due to its surroundings. The ejecta mass is launched into the circumstellar medium with equivalent kinetic energy expressed as a power-law velocity distribution $E\propto (\Gamma\beta)^{-\alpha}$. The density profile of this medium follows a power law $n(r)\propto r^{-k}$ with $k$ the stratification parameter, which accounts for the usual cases of a constant medium ($k=0$) and a wind-like medium ($k=2$). A long-lasting central engine, which injects energy into the ejected material as ($E\propto t^{1-q}$) was also assumed. With our model, we show the predicted light curves associated with this emission for different sets of initial conditions and notice the effect of the variation of these parameters on the frequencies, timescales and intensities. The results are discussed in the Kilonova scenario.Comment: Presented at the 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2021), Berlin, German

Afterglow Polarization from Off-Axis GRB Jets

As we further our studies on Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), both on theoretical models and observational tools, more and more options begin to open for exploration of its physical properties. As transient events primarily dominated by synchrotron radiation, it is expected that the synchrotron photons emitted by GRBs should present some degree of polarization throughout the evolution of the burst. Whereas observing this polarization can still be challenging due to the constraints on observational tools, especially for short GRBs, it is paramount that the groundwork is laid for the day we have abundant data. In this work, we present a polarization model linked with an off-axis spreading top-hat jet synchrotron scenario in a stratified environment with a density profile $n(r)\propto r^ {-k}$. We present this model's expected temporal polarization evolution for a realistic set of afterglow parameters constrained within the values observed in the GRB literature for four degrees of stratification $k=0,1,1.5 {\rm \, and\,} 2$ and two magnetic field configurations with high extreme anisotropy. We apply this model and predict polarization from a set of GRBs exhibiting off-axis afterglow emission. In particular, for GRB 170817A, we use the available polarimetric upper limits to rule out the possibility of a extremely anisotropic configuration for the magnetic field.Comment: 17 pages, 3 tables, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (ApJ

Polarization From A Radially Stratified Off-Axis GRB Outflow

While the dominant radiation mechanism gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) remains a question of debate, synchrotron emission is one of the foremost candidates to describe the multi-wavelength afterglow observations. As such, it is expected that GRBs should present some degree of polarization across their evolution - presenting a feasible means of probing these bursts' energetic and angular properties. Although obtaining polarization data is difficult due to the inherent complexities regarding GRB observations, advances are being made, and theoretical modeling of synchrotron polarization is now more relevant than ever. In this manuscript, we present the polarization for a fiduciary model where the synchrotron forward-shock emission evolving in the radiative-adiabatic regime is described by a radially stratified off-axis outflow. This is parameterized with a power-law velocity distribution and decelerated in a constant-density and wind-like external environment. We apply this theoretical polarization model for selected bursts presenting evidence of off-axis afterglow emission, including the nearest orphan GRB candidates observed by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and a few Gravitational Wave (GWs) events that could generate electromagnetic emission. In the case of GRB 170817A, we require the available polarimetric upper limits in radio wavelengths to constrain its magnetic field geometry.Comment: In submission. 18 pages, 7 figures, 3 table