912 research outputs found

    GRB Astrophysics in the Swift Era and Beyond

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    Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) are relativistic cosmological beacons of transient high energy radiation whose afterglows span the electromagnetic spectrum. Theoretical expectations of correlated neutrino emission position GRBs at an astrophysical nexus for a metamorphosis in our understanding of the Cosmos. This new dawn in the era of experimental (particle) astrophysics and cosmology is afforded by current facilities enabling the novel astronomy of high energy neutrinos, in concert with unprecedented electromagnetic coverage. In that regard, GRBs represent a compelling scientific theme that may facilitate fundamental breakthroughs in the context of Swift, Fermi and IceCube. Scientific synergy will be achieved by leveraging the combined sensitivity of contemporaneous ground-based and satellite observatories, thus optimizing their collective discovery potential. Hence, the advent of GRB multi-messenger astronomy may cement an explicit connection to fundamental physics, via nascent cosmic windows, throughout the next decade.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Contributed to the Proceedings of the 2nd Heidelberg Workshop: High-Energy Gamma-rays and Neutrinos from Extra-Galactic Sources (Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics

    A New Search Paradigm for Correlated Neutrino Emission from Discrete GRBs using Antarctic Cherenkov Telescopes in the Swift Era

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    We describe the theoretical modeling and analysis techniques associated with a preliminary search for correlated neutrino emission from GRB980703a, which triggered the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE GRB trigger 6891), using archived data from the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA-B10). Under the assumption of associated hadronic acceleration, the expected observed neutrino energy flux is directly derived, based upon confronting the fireball phenomenology with the discrete set of observed electromagnetic parameters of GRB980703a, gleaned from ground-based and satellite observations, for four models, corrected for oscillations. Models 1 and 2, based upon spectral analysis featuring a prompt photon energy fit to the Band function, utilize an observed spectroscopic redshift, for isotropic and anisotropic emission geometry, respectively. Model 3 is based upon averaged burst parameters, assuming isotropic emission. Model 4, based upon a Band fit, features an estimated redshift from the lag-luminosity relation with isotropic emission. Consistent with our AMANDA-II analysis of GRB030329, which resulted in a flux upper limit of ~0.150 GeV/cm^2/s for model 1, we find differences in excess of an order of magnitude in the response of AMANDA-B10, among the various models for GRB980703a. Implications for future searches in the era of Swift and IceCube are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, Contributed to the Proceedings of The 16th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland: Gamma Ray Bursts in the Swift Era. Edited by Stephen S. Holt, Neil Gehrels and John A. Nousek (2006

    Correlative Spectral Analysis of Gamma-Ray Bursts using Swift-BAT and GLAST-GBM

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    We discuss the preliminary results of spectral analysis simulations involving anticipated correlated multi-wavelength observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) using Swift's Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope's (GLAST) Burst Monitor (GLAST-GBM), resulting in joint spectral fits, including characteristic photon energy (Epeak) values, for a conservative annual estimate of ~30 GRBs. The addition of BAT's spectral response will (i) complement in-orbit calibration efforts of GBM's detector response matrices, (ii) augment GLAST's low energy sensitivity by increasing the ~20-100 keV effective area, (iii) facilitate ground-based follow-up efforts of GLAST GRBs by increasing GBM's source localization precision, and (iv) help identify a subset of non-triggered GRBs discovered via off-line GBM data analysis. Such multi-wavelength correlative analyses, which have been demonstrated by successful joint-spectral fits of Swift-BAT GRBs with other higher energy detectors such as Konus-WIND and Suzaku-WAM, would enable the study of broad-band spectral and temporal evolution of prompt GRB emission over three energy decades, thus potentially increasing the science return without placing additional demands upon mission resources throughout their contemporaneous orbital tenure over the next decade.Comment: 5 pages. Adapted from a contribution to the Proceedings of the 2008 Nanjing GRB Conference. Edited by Y. F. Huang, Z. G. Dai and B. Zhan

    Spectral and temporal analysis of the joint Swift/BAT-Fermi/GBM GRB sample

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    Using the gamma-ray bursts simultaneously detected by Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM we performed a joint spectral and temporal analysis of the prompt emission data and confirm the rough correlation between the BAT-band photon index Gamma_BAT and the peak spectral energy Epeak. With the redshift known sub-sample, we derived the isotropic gamma-ray energy E_gamma,iso and also confirm the E_gamma,iso - Epeak,rest relation, with a larger scatter than the Amati sample but consistent with GBM team analyses. We also compare the T_90 values derived in the GBM band with those derived in the BAT band and find that for long GRBs the BAT T_90 is usually longer than the GBM T_90, while for short GRBs the trend reverses. This is consistent with the soft/hard nature of long/short GRBs and suggests the importance of an energy-dependent temporal analysis of GRBs.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, MNRAS accepted, spectral fits updated, conclusions unchange

    Screening High-z GRBs with BAT Prompt Emission Properties

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    Detecting high-z GRBs is important for constraining the GRB formation rate, and tracing the history of re-ionization and metallicity of the universe. Based on the current sample of GRBs detected by Swift with known redshifts, we investigated the relationship between red-shift, and spectral and temporal characteristics, using the BAT event-by-event data. We found red-shift trends for the peak-flux-normalized temporal width T90, the light curve variance, the peak flux, and the photon index in simple power-law fit to the BAT event data. We have constructed criteria for screening GRBs with high red-shifts. This will enable us to provide a much faster alert to the GRB community of possible high-z bursts.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in the proceedings of ''Gamma Ray Bursts 2007'', Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 5-

    Temporal Profiles and Spectral Lags of XRF 060218

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    The spectral and temporal properties of the non-thermal emission ofthe nearby XRF 060218 in 0.3-150 keV band are studied. We show that both the spectral energy distribution and the light curve properties suggest the same origin of the non-thermal emission detected by {\em Swift} BAT and XRT. This event has the longest pulse duration and spectral lag observed to date among the known GRBs. The pulse structure and its energy dependence are analogous to typical GRBs. By extrapolating the observed spectral lag to the {\em CGRO/BATSE} bands we find that the hypothesis that this event complies with the same luminosity-lag relation with bright GRBs cannot be ruled out at 2σ2\sigma significance level. These intriguing facts, along with its compliance with the Amati-relation, indicate that XRF 060218 shares the similar radiation physics as typical GRBs.Comment: 9 pages in emulateapj format, including 4 figures and 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

    A Correlation of Spectral Lag Evolution with Prompt Optical Emission in GRBs?

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    We report on observations of correlated behavior between the prompt gamma-ray and optical emission from GRB 080319B, which (i) strongly suggest that they occurred within the same astrophysical source region and (ii) indicate that their respective radiation mechanisms were most likely dynamically coupled. Our preliminary results, based upon a new cross-correlation function (CCF) methodology for determining the time-resolved spectral lag, are summarized as follows. First, the evolution in the arrival offset of prompt gamma-ray photon counts between Swift-BAT 15-25 keV and 50-100 keV energy bands (intrinsic gamma-ray spectral lag) appears to be anti-correlated with the arrival offset between prompt 15-350 keV gamma-rays and the optical emission observed by TORTORA (extrinsic optical/gamma-ray spectral lag), thus effectively partitioning the burst into two main episodes at ~T+28+/-2 sec. Second, prompt optical emission is nested within intervals of (a) trivial intrinsic gamma-ray spectral lag (~T+12+-2 and ~T+50+/-2 sec) with (b) discontinuities in the hard to soft evolution of the photon index for a power law fit to 15-150 keV Swift-BAT data (~T+8+/-2 and ~T+48+/-1 sec), both of which coincide with the rise (~T+10+/-1 sec) and decline (~T+50+/-1 sec) of prompt optical emission. This potential discovery, robust across heuristic permutations of BAT energy channels and varying temporal bin resolution, provides the first observational evidence for an implicit connection between spectral lag and the dynamics of shocks in the context of canonical fireball phenomenology.Comment: 5 pages. Adapted from a contribution to the Proceedings of the 2008 Nanjing GRB Conference. Edited by Y. F. Huang, Z. G. Dai and B. Zhan
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