Early Afterglows Of Gamma-ray Bursts Research Articles

Design and performance of the camera of the Micro-channel X-ray Telescope on-board the SVOM mission

The Microchannel X-ray Telescope (MXT) is part of the scientific payload of the SVOM Sino-French space mission to observe the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts in the 0.2–10 keV energy range and localize them within 2 arcmin. For a total mass of 42 kg and a total power of 60 W, this instrument is composed of an optical system, a structural carbon fiber tube, a radiator, a camera and a data processing unit. The camera consists of a focal plane assembly with a detector ceramic board and thermoelectric coolers, a front-end electronics, a calibration wheel and a support structure. Spectral characterization tests of the focal plane assembly based on a 256 × 256 pixel pnCCD spectroscopic imager were performed in the laboratory, at the Metrology beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron and at the PANTER X-ray facility. Energy resolution of 79 eV FWHM at 1.5 keV was demonstrated in the nominal flight configuration (−65 °C, real time event selection by the camera). The paper presents the design, the realization and the performance of the flight camera of MXT. It focuses on the technical challenges, the original implemented solutions and the custom-made setups for the validation tests.

Acceleration of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays in the early afterglows of gamma-ray bursts: Concurrence of jet dynamics and wave-particle interactions

The origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays $($UHECRs$)$ remains a mystery. It has been suggested that UHECRs can be produced by the stochastic acceleration in relativistic jets of gamma-ray bursts $($GRBs$)$ at the early afterglow phase. Here, we develop a time-dependent model for proton energization by cascading compressible waves in GRB jets considering the concurrent effect of the jet's dynamics and the mutual interactions between turbulent waves and particles. Considering fast mode of magnetosonic wave as the dominant particle scatterer and assuming interstellar medium $($ISM$)$ for the circumburst environment, our numerical results suggest that protons can be accelerated up to $\textrm{10}^{\textrm{19}}\,$eV during the early afterglow. An estimation shows ultra-high energy nuclei can easily survive photodisintegration in the external shocks in most cases, thus allowing the acceleration of $\textrm{10}^{\textrm{20}}\,$eV cosmic-ray nuclei in the proposed frame. The spectral slope can be as hard as $\textrm{d}\textit{N}/\textrm{d}\textit{E} \propto \textit{E}^\textrm{0}$, which is consistent with the requirement for the interpretation of intermediate-mass composition of UHECR as measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory.

X-ray flares from dense shells formed in gamma-ray burst explosions

Abstract Bright X-ray flares are routinely detected by the Swift satellite during the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts, when the explosion ejecta drives a blast wave into the external medium. We suggest that the flares are produced as the reverse shock propagates into the tail of the ejecta. The ejecta is expected to contain a few dense shells formed at an earlier stage of the explosion. We show an example of how such dense shells form and describe how the reverse shock interacts with them. A new reflected shock is generated in this interaction, which produces a short-lived X-ray flare. The model provides a natural explanation for the main observed features of the X-ray flares – the fast rise, the steep power-law decline and the characteristic peak duration Δt/t ≃ 0.1–0.3.

Thermal emission in the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts from their interaction with supernova ejecta

Thermal emission in the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts from their interaction with supernova ejecta

RADIO FLARES FROM GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

We present predictions of centimeter and millimeter radio emission from reverse shocks in the early afterglows of gamma-ray bursts with the goal of determining their detectability with current and future radio facilities. Using a range of GRB properties, such as peak optical brightness and time, isotropic equivalent gamma-ray energy and redshift, we simulate radio light curves in a framework generalized for any circumburst medium structure and including a parametrization of the shell thickness regime that is more realistic than the simple assumption of thick- or thin-shell approximations. Building on earlier work by Mundell et al. (2007) and Melandri et al. (2010) in which the typical frequency of the reverse shock was suggested to lie at radio, rather than optical wavelengths at early times, we show that the brightest and most distinct reverse-shock radio signatures are detectable up to 0.1 -- 1 day after the burst, emphasizing the need for rapid radio follow-up. Detection is easier for bursts with later optical peaks, high isotropic energies, lower circumburst medium densities, and at observing frequencies that are less prone to synchrotron self-absorption effects - typically above a few GHz. Given recent detections of polarized prompt gamma-ray and optical reverse-shock emission, we suggest that detection of polarized radio/mm emission will unambiguously confirm the presence of low-frequency reverse shocks at early time.

SPIN EVOLUTION OF MILLISECOND MAGNETARS WITH HYPERACCRETING FALLBACK DISKS: IMPLICATIONS FOR EARLY AFTERGLOWS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

The shallow decay phase or plateau phase of early afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), discovered by Swift, is currently understood as being due to energy injection to a relativistic blast wave. One natural scenario for energy injection invokes a millisecond magnetar as the central engine of GRBs, because the conventional model of a pulsar predicts a nearly constant magnetic-dipole-radiation luminosity within the spin-down timescale. However, we note that significant brightening occurs in some early afterglows, which apparently conflicts with the above scenario. Here we propose a new model to explain this significant brightening phenomena by considering a hyperaccreting fallback disk around a newborn millisecond magnetar. We show that for typical values of the model parameters, sufficient angular momentum of the accreted matter is transferred to the magnetar and spins it up. It is this spin-up that leads to a dramatic increase of the magnetic dipole radiation luminosity with time and thus significant brightening of an early afterglow. Based on this model, we carry out numerical calculations and fit well early afterglows of 12 GRBs assuming sufficiently strong fallback accretion. If the accretion is very weak, our model turns out to be the conventional energy-injection scenario of a pulsar. Therefore, our model can provide a unified explanation for the shallow decay phase, plateaus, and significant brightening of early afterglows.

The influence of magnetic fields on neutrino-dominated accretion disc

We consider the influence of magnetic fields on the model of neutrino-dominated accretion flows (NDAFs) for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) via the assumption that the accretion rate of the disc is totally caused by the torque of the Lorentz force, i.e. the magnetic braking of large-scale magnetic fields and magnetic viscosity of small-scale magnetic fields. We calculate the structure, composition, luminosity of neutrino emission and the Poynting flux, and the rate of mass loss driven by neutrino heating or launched centrifugally by large-scale magnetic fields, based on the physical condition of the magnetized NDAFs. It is shown that the magnetized disc is favourable to interpret the diverse prompt emissions as well as the X-ray flares observed in the early afterglow of GRBs.

EARLY OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS BY THE TAROT TELESCOPES: PERIOD 2001-2008

The Télescopes à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires telescopes are two robotic observatories designed to observe the prompt optical emission counterpart and the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We present data acquired between 2001 and 2008 and discuss the properties of the optical emission of GRBs, noting various interesting results. The optical emission observed during the prompt GRB phase is rarely very bright: we estimate that 5%–20% of GRBs exhibit a bright optical flash (R < 14) during the prompt gamma-ray emission, and that more than 50% of the GRBs have an optical emission fainter than R = 15.5 when the gamma-ray emission is active. We study the apparent optical brightness distribution of GRBs at 1000 s showing that our observations confirm the distribution derived by other groups. The combination of these results with those obtained by other rapid slewing telescopes allows us to better characterize the early optical emission of GRBs and to emphasize the importance of very early multiwavelength GRB studies for the understanding of the physics of the ejecta.

Hyperaccretion after the Blandford-Znajek Process: A New Model for GRBs with X-Ray Flares Observed in Early Afterglows

We propose a three-stage model with Blandford-Znajek (BZ) and hyperaccretion process to interpret the recent observations of early afterglows of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). In the first stage, the prompt GRB is powered by a rotating black hole (BH) invoking the BZ process. The second stage is a quiet stage, in which the BZ process is shut off, and the accretion onto the BH is depressed by the torque exerted by the magnetic coupling (MC) process. Part of the rotational energy transported by the MC process from the BH is stored in the disk as magnetic energy. In the third stage, the MC process is shut off when the magnetic energy in the disk accumulates and triggers magnetic instability. At this moment, the hyperaccretion process may set in, and the jet launched in this restarted central engine generates the observed X-ray flares. This model can account for the energies and timescales of GRBs with X-ray flares observed in early afterglows.

High energy neutrino early afterglows from gamma-ray bursts revisited

The high energy neutrino emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been expected in various scenarios. In this paper, we study the neutrino emission from early afterglows of GRBs, especially under the reverse-forward shock model and late prompt emission model. In the former model, the early afterglow emission occurs due to dissipation made by an external shock with the circumburst medium (CBM). In the latter model, internal dissipation such as internal shocks produces the shallow decay emission in early afterglows. We also discuss implications of recent Swift observations for neutrino signals in detail. Future neutrino detectors such as IceCube may detect neutrino signals from early afterglows, especially under the late prompt emission model, while the detection would be difficult under the reverse-forward shock model. Contribution to the neutrino background from the early afterglow emission may be at most comparable to that from the prompt emission unless the outflow making the early afterglow emission loads more nonthermal protons, and it may be important in the very high energies. Neutrino detections are inviting because they could provide us with not only information on baryon acceleration but also one of the clues to the model of early afterglows. Finally, we compare various predictions for the neutrino background from GRBs, which are testable by future neutrino observations.

Thick Fireballs and the Steep Decay in the Early X‐Ray Afterglow of Gamma‐Ray Bursts

We study the early afterglows of gamma-ray bursts produced by geometrically thick fireballs, following the development of the external shock as energy is continually supplied to the shocked material. We study the dependence of the early afterglow slope on the luminosity history of the central engine. The resulting light curves are modeled with power-law functions and the importance of a correct choice of the reference time t_0 is investigated. We find that deviations from a simple power-law are observed only if a large majority of the energy is released at late times. The light curve in this case can be described as a simple power-law if the reference time is set to be close to the end of the burst. We applied our analysis to the cases of GRB 050219a and GRB 050315. We show that the early steep decay of the afterglow cannot result from the interaction of the fireball with the ambient medium. We conclude that the early X-ray afterglow emission is associated with the prompt phase and we derive limits on the radius at which the prompt radiation is produced.

X-ray lines and absorption edges in GRBS and their afterglows

Absorption and reprocessing of gamma-ray burst radiation in the environment of cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can be used as a powerful probe of the elusive nature of their progenitors. In particular, transient X-ray emission line and absorption features in the prompt and early afterglows of GRBs are sensitive to details of the location and density structure of the reprocessing and/or absorbing material. To date, there have been only rather few detections of such features, and the significance is marginal in most individual cases. However, transient X-ray emission lines in GRB afterglows have now been found by four different X-ray satellites, which may justify a more detailed theoretical investigation of their origin. In this paper, I will first present a brief review of the status of observations of transient X-ray emission line and absorption features. I will then discuss general physics constraints which those results impose on isotropy, homogeneity, and location of the reprocessing material with respect to the GRB source, and review the various currently discussed, specific models of GRBs and their environments in which the required conditions could arise.

Soft X-Ray Emission Lines in the Early Afterglow of Gamma-Ray Bursts

We compute the luminosity of Kα emission lines produced by astrophysically abundant elements in the soft X-ray spectra of the early afterglow of gamma-ray bursts. We find that the detection of these lines can be a diagnostic for the geometrical setup of the reprocessing material. In particular, we can distinguish between a geometry-dominated model, in which the line emission is coming from an extended region and its duration arises from light-travel time effects, and an engine-dominated model, where the line-emitting gas is in a smaller region, irradiated for a longer period. These lines therefore offer clues to the dynamics and timescale of the explosion leading to a gamma-ray burst.

RIBOTS: An Automatic Telescope System for Gamma-Ray Burst Follow-Up Observations

AbstractWe are constructing a fully automatic observation system named RIBOTS (RIken-Bisei Optical Transient Seeker). We aim to detect optical flashes and early afterglows of Gamma-ray bursts (GRB) with RIBOTS. We are constructing RIBOTS with a small telescope because a quick pointing to the burst is essential for our purpose. RIBOTS is linked to the GRB alert system provided by the HETE-2 satellite.