Gamma-ray Bursts 080916C Research Articles

On the Origin of the Multi-GeV Photons from the Closest Burst with Intermediate Luminosity: GRB 190829A

Abstract Very high energy (VHE) emission is usually interpreted in the synchrotron self-Compton scenario and expected from the low-redshift and high-luminosity gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), such as GRB 180720B and GRB 190114C. Recently, the H.E.S.S. telescopes reported VHE emission from one of the closest bursts, GRB 190829A, which was associated with the supernova 2019oyw. In this paper, we present a temporal and spectral analysis from optical bands to the Fermi-LAT energy range over multiple observational periods beginning after the trigger time and extending for almost 3 months. We show that the X-ray and optical observations are consistent with synchrotron forward-shock emission evolving between the characteristic and cooling spectral breaks during the early and late afterglow in a uniform-density medium. Modeling the light curves together with the spectral energy distribution, we show that the outflow expanded with an initial bulk Lorentz factor of Γ ∼ 30, which is high for low-luminosity GRBs and low for high-luminosity GRBs. The values of the initial bulk Lorentz factor and the isotropic-equivalent energy suggest that GRB 190829A is an intermediate-luminosity burst; consequently, it becomes the first burst of this class to be detected in the VHE gamma-ray band by an imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope and, in turn, the first event to not be simultaneously observed by the Fermi-LAT instrument. Analyzing the intermediate-luminosity bursts with z ≲ 0.2, such as GRB 130702A, we show that bursts with intermediate luminosities are potential candidates to be detected in VHEs.

Modelling synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton emission of gamma-ray burst afterglows from radio to very-high energies

ABSTRACT Synchrotron radiation from a decelerating blastwave is a widely accepted model of radio to X-ray afterglow emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). GeV gamma-ray emission detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the duration of which extends beyond the prompt gamma-ray emission phase is also compatible with broad features of afterglow emission. We revisit the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission model from a decelerating blastwave to fit multiwavelength data from three bright GRBs, namely GRB 190114C, GRB 130427A, and GRB 090510. We constrain the afterglow model parameters using the simultaneous fit of the spectral energy distributions at different times and light curves at different frequencies for these bursts. We find that a constant density interstellar medium is favoured for the short GRB 090510, while a wind-type environment is favoured for the long GRB 130427A and GRB 190114C. The sub-TeV component in GRB 190114C detected by MAGIC is the SSC emission in our modelling. Furthermore, we find that the SSC emission in the Thomson regime is adequate to fit the spectra and light curves of GRB 190114C. For the other two GRBs, lacking sub-TeV detection, the SSC emissions are also modelled in the Thomson regime. For the model parameters we have used, the γγ attenuation in the blastwave is negligible in the sub-TeV range compared to the redshift-dependent γγ attenuation in the extragalactic background light.

The newborn black hole in GRB 191014C proves that it is alive

A multi-decade theoretical effort has been devoted to finding an efficient mechanism to use the rotational and electrodynamical extractable energy of a Kerr-Newman black hole (BH), to power the most energetic astrophysical sources such as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and active galactic nuclei. We show an efficient general relativistic electrodynamical process which occurs in the “inner engine” of a binary driven hypernova. The inner engine is composed of a rotating Kerr BH of mass M and dimensionless spin parameter α, a magnetic field of strength B0 aligned and parallel to the rotation axis, and a very low-density ionized plasma. Here, we show that the gravitomagnetic interaction between the BH and the magnetic field induces an electric field that accelerates electrons and protons from the environment to ultrarelativistic energies emitting synchrotron radiation. We show that in GRB 190114C the BH of mass M = 4.4 M⊙, α = 0.4, and B0 ≈ 4 × 1010 G can lead to a high-energy (≳GeV) luminosity of 1051 erg s−1. The inner engine parameters are determined by requiring (1) that the BH extractable energy explains the GeV and ultrahigh-energy emission energetics, (2) that the emitted photons are not subjected to magnetic-pair production, and (3) that the synchrotron radiation timescale agrees with the observed high-energy timescale. We find for GRB 190114C a clear jetted emission of GeV energies with a semi-aperture angle of approximately 60° with respect to the BH rotation axis.

The variable absorption in the X-ray spectrum of GRB 190114C

Gamma-ray burst (GRB) 190114C was a bright burst that occurred in the local Universe (z = 0.425). It was the first GRB ever detected at teraelectronvolt (TeV) energies, and this was thanks to MAGIC. We characterize the ambient medium properties of the host galaxy through the study of the absorbing X-ray column density. Using a combination of Swift, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR observations, we find that the GRB X-ray spectrum is characterized by a high column density that is well in excess of the expected Milky Way value and decreases, by a factor of ∼2, around ∼105 s. Such a variability is not common in GRBs. The most straightforward interpretation of the variability in terms of the photoionization of the ambient medium is not able to account for the decrease at such late times, when the source flux is less intense. Instead, we interpret the decrease as due to a clumped absorber, denser along the line of sight and surrounded by lower-density gas. After the detection at TeV energies of GRB 190114C, two other GRBs were promptly detected. These two also have high intrinsic column density values, and there are hints for a decrease in their column densities as well. We speculate that a high local column density might be a common ingredient of TeV-detected GRBs.

Low frequency view of GRB 190114C reveals time varying shock micro-physics

Abstract We present radio and optical afterglow observations of the TeV-bright long Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) 190114C at a redshift of z = 0.425, which was detected by the MAGIC telescope. Our observations with ALMA, ATCA, and uGMRT were obtained by our low frequency observing campaign and range from ∼1 to ∼140 days after the burst and the optical observations were done with three optical telescopes spanning up to ∼25 days after the burst. Long term radio/mm observations reveal the complex nature of the afterglow, which does not follow the spectral and temporal closure relations expected from the standard afterglow model. We find that the microphysical parameters of the external forward shock, representing the share of shock-created energy in the non-thermal electron population and magnetic field, are evolving with time. The inferred kinetic energy in the blast-wave depends strongly on the assumed ambient medium density profile, with a constant density medium demanding almost an order of magnitude higher energy than in the prompt emission, while a stellar wind-driven medium requires approximately the same amount energy as in prompt emission.

The morphology of the X-ray afterglows and of the jetted GeV emission in long GRBs

ABSTRACT We recall evidence that long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have binary progenitors and give new examples. Binary-driven hypernovae (BdHNe) consist of a carbon–oxygen core (COcore) and a neutron star (NS) companion. For binary periods ∼5 min, the COcore collapse originates the subclass BdHN I characterized by (1) an outstanding supernova (SN; the ‘SN-rise’); (2) a black hole (BH), born from the NS collapse by SN matter accretion, leading to a GeV emission with luminosity $L_{\rm GeV} = A_{\rm GeV}\, t^{-\alpha _{\rm GeV}}$, observed only in some cases; and (3) a new NS (νNS), born from the SN, originating from the X-ray afterglow with $L_\mathrm{ X} = A_{\rm X}\, t^{-\alpha _{\rm X}}$, observed in all BdHN I. We record 378 sources and present for four prototype GRBs 130427A, 160509A, 180720B, and 190114C: (1) spectra, luminosities, SN-rise duration; (2) AX, αX = 1.48 ± 0.32, and (3) the νNS spin time evolution. We infer (i) AGeV, αGeV = 1.19 ± 0.04 and (ii) the BdHN I morphology from time-resolved spectral analysis, three-dimensional simulations, and the GeV emission presence/absence in 54 sources within the Fermi-Large Area Telescope boresight angle. For 25 sources, we give the integrated and time-varying GeV emission, 29 sources have no GeV emission detected and show X/gamma-ray flares previously inferred as observed along the binary plane. The 25/54 ratio implies the GeV radiation is emitted within a cone of half-opening angle ≈60° from the normal to the orbital plane. We deduce BH masses of 2.3–8.9 M⊙ and spin of 0.27–0.87 by explaining the GeV emission from the BH rotational energy extraction, while their time evolution validates the BH mass–energy formula.

External Inverse-Compton Emission Associated with Extended and Plateau Emission of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts: Application to GRB 160821B

Abstract The recent detection of TeV photons from two gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), GRB 190114C and GRB 180720B, has opened a new window for multimessenger and multiwavelength astrophysics of high-energy transients. We study the origin of very high energy (VHE) γ-rays from the short GRB 160821B, for which the MAGIC Collaboration reported a ∼3σ statistical significance. Short GRBs are often accompanied by extended and plateau emission, which is attributed to internal dissipation resulting from activities of a long-lasting central engine, and Murase et al. (2018) recently suggested the external inverse-Compton (EIC) scenario for VHE counterparts of short GRBs and neutron star mergers. Applying this scenario to GRB 160821B, we show that the EIC flux can reach ∼10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 within a time period of ∼103–104 s, which is consistent with the MAGIC observations. EIC γ-rays expected during the extended and plateau emission will be detectable with greater significance by future detectors such as the Cerenkov Telescope Array. The resulting light curve has a distinguishable feature, where the VHE emission is predicted to reach the peak around the end of the seed photon emission.

Very-high-energy Emission and Cascade Radiation of Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows: Homogeneous versus Wind External Media

Abstract Recent detection of sub-TeV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) represents a breakthrough in the GRB study. The multiwavelength data of the afterglows of GRB 190114C support the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) origin for its sub-TeV emission. We present a comparative analysis on the SSC emission of GRB afterglows in the homogeneous and wind environments in the framework of the forward shock model. The γ γ absorption of very-high-energy photons due to pair production within the source and the Klein–Nishina effect on the inverse Compton scattering are considered. Generally a higher SSC flux is expected for a larger circum-burst density due to a larger Compton parameter, but meanwhile the internal γ γ absorption is more severe for sub-TeV emission. The flux ratio between the SSC component and the synchrotron component decreases more quickly with time in the wind medium case than in the homogeneous density medium case. The light curves of the SSC emission are also different for the two types of media. We also calculate the cascade emission resulting from the absorbed high-energy photons. In the ISM environment with n ≳ 1 cm−3, the cascade synchrotron emission could be comparable to the synchrotron emission of the primary electrons in the optical band, which may flatten the optical afterglow light curve at an early time (t < 1 hr). In the wind medium with A * ≳ 0.1, the cascade emission in the eV–GeV band is comparable or even larger than the emission of the primary electrons at the early time.

Lorentz Invariance Violation Limits from the Spectral-lag Transition of GRB 190114C

Abstract The spectral lags of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been viewed as the most promising probes of the possible violations of Lorentz invariance (LIV). However, these constraints usually depend on the assumption of the unknown intrinsic time lag in different energy bands and the use of a single highest-energy photon. A new approach to test the LIV effects has been proposed by directly fitting the spectral-lag behavior of a GRB with a well-defined transition from positive lags to negative lags. This method simultaneously provides a reasonable formulation of the intrinsic time lag and robust lower limits on the quantum-gravity energy scales (E QG). In this work, we perform a global fitting to the spectral-lag data of GRB 190114C by considering the possible LIV effects based on a Bayesian approach. We then derive limits on E QG and the coefficients of the standard model extension. The Bayes factor output in our analysis shows very strong evidence for the spectral-lag transition in GRB 190114C. Our constraints on a variety of isotropic and anisotropic coefficients for LIV are somewhat weaker than existing bounds, but they can be viewed as comparatively robust and have the promise to complement existing LIV constraints. The observations of GRBs with higher-energy emissions and higher temporal resolutions will contribute to a better formulation of the intrinsic time lag and more rigorous LIV constraints in the dispersive photon sector.

Can we constrain the extragalactic magnetic field from very high energy observations of GRB 190114C?

Primary very high energy $\gamma$-rays from $\gamma$-ray bursts (GRBs) are partially absorbed on extragalactic background light (EBL) photons with subsequent formation of intergalactic electromagnetic cascades. Characteristics of the observable cascade $\gamma$-ray signal are sensitive to the strength and structure of the extragalactic magnetic field (EGMF). GRB 190114C was recently detected with the MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, for the first time allowing to estimate the observable cascade intensity. We inquire whether any constraints on the EGMF strength and structure could be obtained from publicly-available $\gamma$-ray data on GRB 190114C. We present detailed calculations of the observable cascade signal for various EGMF configurations. We show that the sensitivity of the Fermi-LAT space $\gamma$-ray telescope is not sufficient to obtain such constraints on the EGMF parameters. However, next-generation space $\gamma$-ray observatories such as MAST would be able to detect pair echoes from GRBs similar to GRB 190114C for the EGMF strength below 10^{-17}--10^{-18} G.

AGILE and Konus-Wind Observations of GRB 190114C: The Remarkable Prompt and Early Afterglow Phases

Abstract GRB 190114C represents a breakthrough for the physics of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), being the first GRB with delayed emission above 300 GeV, as reported by MAGIC. We present in this paper the sub-MeV/MeV data of the prompt and early afterglow emissions of GRB 190114C, as detected by AGILE and Konus-Wind, in the 20 keV–100 MeV energy range. The first stages of the burst exhibit multiple emission components, associated with an interesting spectral evolution. The first 2 s of the prompt emission can be described by a single “Band-like” spectral component. The successive 4 s show the presence of an additional high-energy spectral component, which quickly evolves into a “hard-flat” component of the νF ν spectrum, extending up to 10–100 MeV and likely produced by inverse Compton radiation, whose onset and evolution are clearly shown in our data. After this phase, the νF ν spectrum evolves into a “V shape,” showing the persistence and spectral hardening of the additional high-energy component in substantial agreement with Fermi and Swift results. We also analyze the first ∼200 s of the early afterglow that show a reflaring episode near T 0 + 15 s. We identify a new, so-far-unnoticed flux temporal break near T 0 + 100 s, which is detected in hard X-rays by both Konus-Wind and INTEGRAL/SPI-ACS. We find this break incompatible with the commonly assumed adiabatic evolution of a fireball in a constant-density medium. We interpret this break as a consequence of radiative evolution of the early afterglow from a fireball expanding in a wind-like circumburst medium.

Do Afterglow Synchrotron Radiations Follow the Lp,iso–Ep,z–Γ0 Relation of Gamma-Ray Bursts? The Cases of GRBs 190114C, 130427A, and 180720B

Abstract Bimodal spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow of GRBs 190114C, 130427A, and 180720B confirm that they are originated from the synchrotron emission (Syn) and synchrotron self-Compton scattering (SSC) process of electrons accelerated in the jets. The radiation mechanism and the physics of the observed spectrum-luminosity/energy relations of GRBs remain as open questions. By extracting the Syn component through fitting their early afterglow SEDs with the Syn+SSC model, we find that their luminosity (L syn), peak energy (E p,syn,z), and the Lorentz factor of the afterglow fireball (Γ t ) follow the L p,iso–E p,z–Γ0 relation of prompt gamma rays, where L p,iso is the isotropic luminosity, E p,z is the peak energy of the spectrum in the burst frame, and Γ0 is the initial Lorentz factor of the fireball. To examine whether late afterglows are consistent with this relation, we calculate the synchrotron component at late afterglows. It is found that they also follow the same L p,iso–E p,z–Γ0 relation, albeit they are not consistent with the L p,iso–E p,z relation. Our results may imply that the L p,iso–E p,z–Γ0 relation would be a universal feature of synchrotron radiations of electrons accelerated in GRB jets throughout the prompt and afterglow phases among GRBs. Its origin is not fully understood, and possible explanations are briefly discussed.

MAGICal GRB 190114C: Implications of Cutoff in the Spectrum at sub-GeV Energies

Abstract GRB 190114C is an unusual gamma-ray burst (GRB) due to its detection at sub-TeV energies by MAGIC, seen at redshift z = 0.42. This burst is one of the brightest GRB detected by Fermi. A joint GBM-LAT analysis of the prompt emission reveals the presence of sub-GeV spectral cutoff when the LAT low-energy event (LLE) data is also examined. A similar high-energy cutoff was likewise reported in GRB 160509A and GRB 100724B earlier, as well as a handful of other sources. The cutoff can be explained by the intrinsic opacity due to pair production within the emitting region. GRB 190114C shows a transition from nonthermal to a quasi-thermal-like spectrum and a radiation component that can be attributed to afterglow. Based on spectral analysis, we constrain the site of the prompt emission and Lorentz factor. Knowing that sub-TeV photons are detected in MAGIC, we perceive that the observed spectrum is indeed an overlap from two emission sites, where the emission observed in Fermi is more consistent with prompt emission produced via photospheric dissipation along with a concurrent component from the external shock.

Inverse Compton signatures of gamma-ray burst afterglows

ABSTRACT The afterglow emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is believed to originate from a relativistic blast wave driven into the circumburst medium. Although the afterglow emission from radio up to X-ray frequencies is thought to originate from synchrotron radiation emitted by relativistic, non-thermal electrons accelerated by the blast wave, the origin of the emission at high energies (HE; ≳GeV) remains uncertain. The recent detection of sub-TeV emission from GRB 190114C by the Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes (MAGIC) raises further debate on what powers the very high energy (VHE; ≳300 GeV) emission. Here, we explore the inverse Compton scenario as a candidate for the HE and VHE emissions, considering two sources of seed photons for scattering: synchrotron photons from the blast wave (synchrotron self-Compton or SSC) and isotropic photon fields external to the blast wave (external Compton). For each case, we compute the multiwavelength afterglow spectra and light curves. We find that SSC will dominate particle cooling and the GeV emission, unless a dense ambient infrared photon field, typical of star-forming regions, is present. Additionally, considering the extragalactic background light attenuation, we discuss the detectability of VHE afterglows by existing and future gamma-ray instruments for a wide range of model parameters. Studying GRB 190114C, we find that its afterglow emission in the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) band is synchrotron dominated. The late-time Fermi-LAT measurement (i.e. t ∼ 104 s), and the MAGIC observation also set an upper limit on the energy density of a putative external infrared photon field (i.e. ${\lesssim} 3\times 10^{-9}\, {\rm erg\, cm^{-3}}$), making the inverse Compton dominant in the sub-TeV energies.

Constraints on the intergalactic magnetic field from γ -ray observations of GRB 190114C

Very high energy photons from cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are expected to interact with extragalactic background light (EBL) and produce electron-positron pairs when they propagate through intergalactic medium (IGM). These relativistic pairs will then up-scatter cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons and emit secondary GeV emission. Meanwhile, the motion of these pairs are deflected by intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF), so the secondary GeV photons arrive later than the primary emission. It has been suggested that the properties of the secondary GeV emission can be used to constrain IGMF. Recently, TeV gamma-ray emission has been detected, for the first time, from a GRB (GRB 190114C) by the MAGIC telescope and its steep ${\rm \gamma-ray}$ spectrum shows a clear evidence of absorption by EBL. We then constrain the IGMF with the GeV flux limit obtained from the $Fermi$-LAT observations. We find a limit of $>10^{-19.5}$ G for the coherence length of $\lambda \leq 1$ Mpc. Although this limit is weaker than that obtained by using blazars, it represents the first limit from ${\rm \gamma-ray}$ observations of GRBs, which provides an independent constraint on IGMF. We also find that, for transient ${\rm \gamma-ray}$ sources, one can choose a favorable time window to search for the echo emission at a particular energy.

Lowly Polarized Light from a Highly Magnetized Jet of GRB 190114C

Abstract We report multicolor optical imaging and polarimetry observations of the afterglow of the first TeV-detected gamma-ray burst (GRB), GRB 190114C, using the RINGO3 and MASTER II polarimeters. Observations begin 31 s after the onset of the GRB and continue until ∼7000 s postburst. The light curves reveal a chromatic break at ∼400–500 s, with initial temporal decay α = 1.669 ± 0.013 flattening to α ∼ 1 postbreak, which we model as a combination of reverse and forward shock components with magnetization parameter R B ∼ 70. The observed polarization degree decreases from 7.7% ± 1.1% to 2%–4% 52–109 s postburst and remains steady at this level for the subsequent ∼2000 s at a constant position angle. Broadband spectral energy distribution modeling of the afterglow confirms that GRB 190114C is highly obscured (A v,HG = 1.49 ± 0.12 mag; cm−2). We interpret the measured afterglow polarization as intrinsically low and dominated by dust —in contrast to the P > 10% measured previously for other GRB reverse shocks—with a small contribution from polarized prompt photons in the first minute. We test whether first- and higher-order inverse Compton scattering in a magnetized reverse shock can explain the low optical polarization and subteraelectronvolt emission but conclude that neither is explained in the reverse shock inverse Compton model. Instead, the unexpectedly low intrinsic polarization degree in GRB 190114C can be explained if large-scale jet magnetic fields are distorted on timescales prior to reverse shock emission.

Magnetic Fields and Afterglows of BdHNe: Inferences from GRB 130427A, GRB 160509A, GRB 160625B, GRB 180728A, and GRB 190114C

Abstract GRB 190114C is the first binary-driven hypernova (BdHN) fully observed from initial supernova (SN) appearance to the final emergence of the optical SN signal. It offers an unprecedented testing ground for the BdHN theory, which is here determined and further extended to additional gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). BdHNe comprise two subclasses of long GRBs, with progenitors a binary system composed of a carbon–oxygen star (COcore) and a neutron star (NS) companion. The COcore explodes as an SN, leaving at its center a newborn NS (νNS). The SN ejecta hypercritically accretes on both the νNS and the NS companion. BdHNe I are very tight binaries, where the accretion leads the companion NS to gravitationally collapse into a black hole (BH). In BdHN II, the accretion rate onto the NS is lower, so there is no BH formation. We observe the same afterglow structure for GRB 190114C and other selected examples of BdHNe I (GRB 130427A, GRB 160509A, GRB 160625B) and for BdHN II (GRB 180728A). In all cases, the afterglows are explained via the synchrotron emission powered by the νNS, and their magnetic field structures and their spin are determined. For BdHNe I, we discuss the properties of the magnetic field embedding the newborn BH, which was inherited from the collapsed NS and amplified during the gravitational collapse process, and surrounded by the SN ejecta.

Fermi and Swift Observations of GRB 190114C: Tracing the Evolution of High-energy Emission from Prompt to Afterglow

Abstract We report on the observations of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 190114C by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. The prompt gamma-ray emission was detected by the Fermi GRB Monitor (GBM), the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), and the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and the long-lived afterglow emission was subsequently observed by the GBM, LAT, Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT), and Swift UV Optical Telescope. The early-time observations reveal multiple emission components that evolve independently, with a delayed power-law component that exhibits significant spectral attenuation above 40 MeV in the first few seconds of the burst. This power-law component transitions to a harder spectrum that is consistent with the afterglow emission observed by the XRT at later times. This afterglow component is clearly identifiable in the GBM and BAT light curves as a slowly fading emission component on which the rest of the prompt emission is superimposed. As a result, we are able to observe the transition from internal-shock- to external-shock-dominated emission. We find that the temporal and spectral evolution of the broadband afterglow emission can be well modeled as synchrotron emission from a forward shock propagating into a wind-like circumstellar environment. We estimate the initial bulk Lorentz factor using the observed high-energy spectral cutoff. Considering the onset of the afterglow component, we constrain the deceleration radius at which this forward shock begins to radiate in order to estimate the maximum synchrotron energy as a function of time. We find that even in the LAT energy range, there exist high-energy photons that are in tension with the theoretical maximum energy that can be achieved through synchrotron emission from a shock. These violations of the maximum synchrotron energy are further compounded by the detection of very high-energy (VHE) emission above 300 GeV by MAGIC concurrent with our observations. We conclude that the observations of VHE photons from GRB 190114C necessitates either an additional emission mechanism at very high energies that is hidden in the synchrotron component in the LAT energy range, an acceleration mechanism that imparts energy to the particles at a rate that is faster than the electron synchrotron energy-loss rate, or revisions of the fundamental assumptions used in estimating the maximum photon energy attainable through the synchrotron process.

GRB 190114C in the nuclear region of an interacting galaxy

Context. For the first time, very high energy emission up to the TeV range has been reported for a gamma-ray burst (GRB). It is still unclear whether the environmental properties of GRB 190114C might have contributed to the production of these very high energy photons, or if it is solely related to the released GRB emission. Aims. The relatively low redshift of the GRB (z = 0.425) allows us to study the host galaxy of this event in detail, and to potentially identify idiosyncrasies that could point to progenitor characteristics or environmental properties that might be responsible for this unique event. Methods. We used ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and submillimetre imaging and spectroscopy obtained with the HST, the VLT, and ALMA to obtain an extensive dataset on which the analysis of the host galaxy is based. Results. The host system is composed of a close pair of interacting galaxies (Δv = 50 km s−1), both of which are well detected by ALMA in CO(3-2). The GRB occurred within the nuclear region (∼170 pc from the centre) of the less massive but more star-forming galaxy of the pair. The host is more massive (log(M/M⊙) = 9.3) than average GRB hosts at this redshift, and the location of the GRB is rather unique. The higher star formation rate was probably triggered by tidal interactions between the two galaxies. Our ALMA observations indicate that both host galaxy and companion have a high molecular gas fraction, as has been observed before in interacting galaxy pairs. Conclusions. The location of the GRB within the core of an interacting galaxy with an extinguished line of sight is indicative of a denser environment than typically observed for GRBs and could have been crucial for the generation of the very high energy photons that were observed.

East Asia VLBI Network observations of the TeV Gamma-Ray Burst 190114C

Observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at Very High Energy (VHE) offer a unique opportunity to investigate particle acceleration processes, magnetic fields and radiation fields in these events. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations have been proven to be a powerful tool providing unique information on the source size of the GRBs at mas scales, as well as their accurate positions and possible expansion speeds. This paper reports on the follow-up observations of GRB 190114C, the first ever GRB detected with high significance at TeV photon energies by the MAGIC telescope, conducted with the East Asia VLBI Network (EAVN) at 22 GHz on three epochs, corresponding to 6, 15 and 32 days after the burst. The derived maps do not show any significant source above 5 sigma. The inferred upper limits on the GRB 190114C flux density at 22 GHz are used here to constrain the allowable two-dimensional parameter space for the afterglow emission. We find that our limits are consistent with most afterglow parameter combinations proposed so far in the literature. This is the first effort for the EAVN to search and monitor a radio transient in the Target of Opportunity mode. In addition to the useful constraints on GRB 190114C radio emission, experience gained from these observations is very helpful for future routine operation of EAVN transient program.