The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission. / Gompertz, Benjamin P.; Ravasio, Maria Edvige; Nicholl, Matt; Levan, Andrew J.; Metzger, Brian D.; Oates, Samantha R.; Lamb, Gavin P.; Fong, Wen-fai; Malesani, Daniele B.; Rastinejad, Jillian C.; Tanvir, Nial R.; Evans, Philip A.; Jonker, Peter G.; Page, Kim L.; Pe'er, Asaf.

In: Nature Astronomy, Vol. 7, 2022, p. 67-79.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Gompertz, BP, Ravasio, ME, Nicholl, M, Levan, AJ, Metzger, BD, Oates, SR, Lamb, GP, Fong, W, Malesani, DB, Rastinejad, JC, Tanvir, NR, Evans, PA, Jonker, PG, Page, KL & Pe'er, A 2022, 'The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission', Nature Astronomy, vol. 7, pp. 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4

APA

Gompertz, B. P., Ravasio, M. E., Nicholl, M., Levan, A. J., Metzger, B. D., Oates, S. R., Lamb, G. P., Fong, W., Malesani, D. B., Rastinejad, J. C., Tanvir, N. R., Evans, P. A., Jonker, P. G., Page, K. L., & Pe'er, A. (2022). The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission. Nature Astronomy, 7, 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4

Vancouver

Gompertz BP, Ravasio ME, Nicholl M, Levan AJ, Metzger BD, Oates SR et al. The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission. Nature Astronomy. 2022;7:67-79. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4

Author

Gompertz, Benjamin P. ; Ravasio, Maria Edvige ; Nicholl, Matt ; Levan, Andrew J. ; Metzger, Brian D. ; Oates, Samantha R. ; Lamb, Gavin P. ; Fong, Wen-fai ; Malesani, Daniele B. ; Rastinejad, Jillian C. ; Tanvir, Nial R. ; Evans, Philip A. ; Jonker, Peter G. ; Page, Kim L. ; Pe'er, Asaf. / The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission. In: Nature Astronomy. 2022 ; Vol. 7. pp. 67-79.

Bibtex

@article{08d66fab7f7c40588d41b3c5646bac61,
title = "The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission",
abstract = "For decades, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been broadly divided into long- and short-duration bursts, lasting more or less than 2 s, respectively. However, this dichotomy does not perfectly map to the two progenitor channels that are known to produce GRBs: mergers of compact objects (merger GRBs) or the collapse of massive stars (collapsar GRBs). In particular, the merger GRB population may also include bursts with a short, hard < 2 s spike and subsequent longer, softer extended emission. The recent discovery of a kilonova-the radioactive glow of heavy elements made in neutron star mergers-in the 50-s-duration GRB 211211A further demonstrates that mergers can drive long, complex GRBs that mimic the collapsar population. Here we present a detailed temporal and spectral analysis of the high-energy emission of GRB 211211A. We demonstrate that the emission has a purely synchrotron origin, with both the peak and cooling frequencies moving through the gamma-ray band down to X-rays, and that the rapidly evolving spectrum drives the extended emission signature at late times. The identification of such spectral evolution in a merger GRB opens avenues to diagnostics of the progenitor type.",
keywords = "EXTENDED EMISSION, HIGH-REDSHIFT, NEUTRON-STAR, LIGHT CURVES, MODEL, DUST, ABSORPTION, ACCRETION, CONSTRAINTS, EVOLUTION",
author = "Gompertz, {Benjamin P.} and Ravasio, {Maria Edvige} and Matt Nicholl and Levan, {Andrew J.} and Metzger, {Brian D.} and Oates, {Samantha R.} and Lamb, {Gavin P.} and Wen-fai Fong and Malesani, {Daniele B.} and Rastinejad, {Jillian C.} and Tanvir, {Nial R.} and Evans, {Philip A.} and Jonker, {Peter G.} and Page, {Kim L.} and Asaf Pe'er",
year = "2022",
doi = "10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "67--79",
journal = "Nature Astronomy",
issn = "2397-3366",
publisher = "nature publishing group",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission

AU - Gompertz, Benjamin P.

AU - Ravasio, Maria Edvige

AU - Nicholl, Matt

AU - Levan, Andrew J.

AU - Metzger, Brian D.

AU - Oates, Samantha R.

AU - Lamb, Gavin P.

AU - Fong, Wen-fai

AU - Malesani, Daniele B.

AU - Rastinejad, Jillian C.

AU - Tanvir, Nial R.

AU - Evans, Philip A.

AU - Jonker, Peter G.

AU - Page, Kim L.

AU - Pe'er, Asaf

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - For decades, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been broadly divided into long- and short-duration bursts, lasting more or less than 2 s, respectively. However, this dichotomy does not perfectly map to the two progenitor channels that are known to produce GRBs: mergers of compact objects (merger GRBs) or the collapse of massive stars (collapsar GRBs). In particular, the merger GRB population may also include bursts with a short, hard < 2 s spike and subsequent longer, softer extended emission. The recent discovery of a kilonova-the radioactive glow of heavy elements made in neutron star mergers-in the 50-s-duration GRB 211211A further demonstrates that mergers can drive long, complex GRBs that mimic the collapsar population. Here we present a detailed temporal and spectral analysis of the high-energy emission of GRB 211211A. We demonstrate that the emission has a purely synchrotron origin, with both the peak and cooling frequencies moving through the gamma-ray band down to X-rays, and that the rapidly evolving spectrum drives the extended emission signature at late times. The identification of such spectral evolution in a merger GRB opens avenues to diagnostics of the progenitor type.

AB - For decades, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been broadly divided into long- and short-duration bursts, lasting more or less than 2 s, respectively. However, this dichotomy does not perfectly map to the two progenitor channels that are known to produce GRBs: mergers of compact objects (merger GRBs) or the collapse of massive stars (collapsar GRBs). In particular, the merger GRB population may also include bursts with a short, hard < 2 s spike and subsequent longer, softer extended emission. The recent discovery of a kilonova-the radioactive glow of heavy elements made in neutron star mergers-in the 50-s-duration GRB 211211A further demonstrates that mergers can drive long, complex GRBs that mimic the collapsar population. Here we present a detailed temporal and spectral analysis of the high-energy emission of GRB 211211A. We demonstrate that the emission has a purely synchrotron origin, with both the peak and cooling frequencies moving through the gamma-ray band down to X-rays, and that the rapidly evolving spectrum drives the extended emission signature at late times. The identification of such spectral evolution in a merger GRB opens avenues to diagnostics of the progenitor type.

KW - EXTENDED EMISSION

KW - HIGH-REDSHIFT

KW - NEUTRON-STAR

KW - LIGHT CURVES

KW - MODEL

KW - DUST

KW - ABSORPTION

KW - ACCRETION

KW - CONSTRAINTS

KW - EVOLUTION

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4

DO - 10.1038/s41550-022-01819-4

M3 - Journal article

VL - 7

SP - 67

EP - 79

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

SN - 2397-3366

ER -

ID: 330778876