Correlation Of Gamma-ray Bursts Research Articles

The gamma-ray bursts fundamental plane correlation as a cosmological tool

ABSTRACT Cosmological models and their corresponding parameters are widely debated because of the current discrepancy between the results of the Hubble constant, H0, obtained by SNe Ia, and the Planck data from the cosmic microwave background radiation. Thus, considering high redshift probes like gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is a necessary step. However, using GRB correlations between their physical features to infer cosmological parameters is difficult because GRB luminosities span several orders of magnitude. In our work, we use a three-dimensional relation between the peak prompt luminosity, the rest-frame time at the end of the X-ray plateau, and its corresponding luminosity in X-rays: the so-called 3D Dainotti fundamental plane relation. We correct this relation by considering the selection and evolutionary effects with a reliable statistical method, obtaining a lower central value for the intrinsic scatter, σint = 0.18 ± 0.07 (47.1 per cent) compared to previous results, when we adopt a particular set of GRBs with well-defined morphological features, called the platinum sample. We have used the GRB fundamental plane relation alone with both Gaussian and uniform priors on cosmological parameters and in combination with SNe Ia and BAO measurements to infer cosmological parameters like H0, the matter density in the universe (ΩM), and the dark energy parameter w for a wCDM model. Our results are consistent with the parameters given by the Lambda cold dark matter model but with the advantage of using cosmological probes detected up to z = 5, much larger than the one observed for the furthest SNe Ia.

Gamma-ray bursts, supernovae Ia, and baryon acoustic oscillations: A binned cosmological analysis

Abstract Cosmological probes at any redshift are necessary to reconstruct consistently the cosmic history. Studying properly the tension on the Hubble constant, H0, obtained by supernovae type Ia (SNe Ia) and the Planck measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation would require complete samples of distance indicators at any epoch. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are necessary for the aforementioned task because of their huge luminosity that allows us to extend the cosmic ladder to very high redshifts. However, using GRBs alone as standard candles is challenging, because their luminosity varies widely. To this end, we choose a reliable correlation for GRBs with a very small intrinsic scatter: the so-called fundamental plane correlation for GRB afterglows corrected for selection biases and redshift evolution. We choose a well defined sample: the platinum sample, composed of 50 long GRBs. To further constrain the cosmological parameters, we use baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) given their reliability as standard rulers. Thus, we have applied GRBs, SNe Ia, and BAOs in a binned analysis in redshifts so that the GRB contribution is fully included in the last redshift bin, which reaches z = 5. We use the fundamental plane correlation (also known as the 3D Dainotti relation), together with SNe Ia and BAOs, to constrain H0 and the density matter today, ΩM. This methodology allows us to assess the role of GRBs combined with SNe Ia and BAOs. We have obtained results for H0 and ΩM using GRBs+SNe Ia+BAOs with better precision than SNe Ia alone for every bin, thus confirming the beneficial role of BAOs and GRBs added together. In addition, consistent results between GRBs+SNe Ia+BAOs are obtained when compared with SNe Ia+BAOs, showing the importance of GRBs since the distance ladder is extended up to z = 5 with a similar precision obtained with other probes without including GRBs.

The Correlation between Isotropic Energy and Duration of Gamma-Ray Bursts

Abstract In this Letter, we study the correlation between isotropic energy and duration of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) for the first time. The correlation is found to be from the Swift GRB sample. After comparing with solar flares from RHESSI and stellar superflares from the Kepler satellite, we find that the correlation of GRBs shows a similar exponent with those of solar flares and stellar superflares. Inspired by the physical mechanism of solar flares and stellar superflares, magnetic reconnection, Inspired by treating magnetic reconnection as the physical mechanism of solar flares, we interpret the correlation using magnetic reconnection theory. This similarity suggests that magnetic reconnection may dominate the energy-releasing process of GRBs.

Gamma-Ray Burst Prompt Correlations

The mechanism responsible for the prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is still a debated issue. The prompt phase-related GRB correlations can allow discriminating among the most plausible theoretical models explaining this emission. We present an overview of the observational two-parameter correlations, their physical interpretations, and their use as redshift estimators and possibly as cosmological tools. The nowadays challenge is to make GRBs, the farthest stellar-scaled objects observed (up to redshift z=9.4), standard candles through well established and robust correlations. However, GRBs spanning several orders of magnitude in their energetics are far from being standard candles. We describe the advances in the prompt correlation research in the past decades, with particular focus paid to the discoveries in the last 20 years.

MEASURING COSMOLOGICAL PARAMETERS WITH GAMMA RAY BURSTS

In a few dozen seconds, gamma ray bursts (GRBs) emit up to ~1054 erg in terms of an equivalent isotropically radiated energy E iso , so they can be observed up to z ~ 10. Thus, these phenomena appear to be very promising tools to describe the expansion rate history of the universe. Here, we review the use of the Ep,i–E iso correlation of GRBs to measure the cosmological density parameter ΩM. We show that the present data set of GRBs, coupled with the assumption that we live in a flat universe, can provide independent evidence, from other probes, that ΩM ~ 0.3. We show that current (e.g. Swift, Fermi/GBM, Konus-WIND) and forthcoming gamma ray burst (GRB) experiments (e.g. CALET/GBM, SVOM, Lomonosov/UFFO, LOFT/WFM) will allow us to constrain ΩM with an accuracy comparable to that currently exhibited by Type Ia supernovae (SNe–Ia) and to study the properties of dark energy and their evolution with time.

Slope evolution of GRB correlations and cosmology

Gamma -ray bursts (GRBs) observed up to redshifts $z>9.4$ can be used as possible probes to test cosmological models. Here we show how changes of the slope of the {\it luminosity $L^*_X$ -break time $T^*_a$} correlation in GRB afterglows, hereafter the LT correlation, affect the determination of the cosmological parameters. With a simulated data set of 101 GRBs with a central value of the correlation slope that differs on the intrinsic one by a $5\sigma$ factor, we find an overstimated value of the matter density parameter, $\Omega_M$, compared to the value obtained with SNe Ia, while the Hubble constant, $H_0$, best fit value is still compatible in 1$\sigma$ compared to other probes. We show that this compatibility of $H_0$ is due to the large intrinsic scatter associated with the simulated sample. Instead, if we consider a subsample of high luminous GRBs ($HighL$), we find that both the evaluation of $H_0$ and $\Omega_M$ are not more compatible in 1$\sigma$ and $\Omega_M$ is underestimated by the $13\%$. However, the $HighL$ sample choice reduces dramatically the intrinsic scatter of the correlation, thus possibly identifying this sample as the standard canonical `GRBs' confirming previous results presented in Dainotti et al. (2010,2011). Here, we consider the LT correlation as an example, but this reasoning can be extended also for all other GRB correlations. In literature so far GRB correlations are not corrected for redshift evolution and selection biases, therefore we are not aware of their intrinsic slopes and consequently how far the use of the observed correlations can influence the derived `best' cosmological settings. Therefore, we conclude that any approach that involves cosmology should take into consideration only intrinsic correlations not the observed ones.

The impact of selection biases on the correlation of gamma-ray bursts

We study the possible effects of selection biases on the Epeak –Liso correlation caused by the unavoidable presence of flux limits in the existing samples of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We consider a well-defined complete sample of Swift GRBs and perform Monte Carlo simulations of the GRB population under different assumptions for their luminosity functions. If we assume that there is no correlation between the peak energy Epeak and the isotropic luminosity Liso, we are unable to reproduce it due to the flux limit threshold of the Swift complete sample. We can reject the null hypothesis that there is no intrinsic correlation between Epeak and Liso at more than 2.7σ level of confidence. This result is robust against the assumptions of our simulations and it is confirmed if we consider, instead of Swift, the trigger threshold of the BATSE instrument. Therefore, there must be a physical relation between these two quantities. Our simulations seem to exclude, at a lower confidence level of 1.6σ, the possibility that the observed Epeak–Liso correlation among different bursts is caused by a boundary, i.e. such that for any given Epeak, we see only the largest Liso, which has a flux above the threshold of the current instruments.

Cosmological model-independent Gamma-ray bursts calibration and its cosmological constraint to dark energy

As so far, the redshift of Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can extend to z ∼ 8 which makes it as a complementary probe of dark energy to supernova Ia (SN Ia). However, the calibration of GRBs is still a big challenge when they are used to constrain cosmological models. Though, the absolute magnitude of GRBs is still unknown, the slopes of GRBs correlations can be used as a useful constraint to dark energy in a completely cosmological model independent way. In this paper, we follow Wang's model-independent distance measurement method and calculate their values by using 109 GRBs events via the so-called Amati relation. Then, we use the obtained model-independent distances to constrain ΛCDM model as an example.

An updated gamma-ray bursts Hubble diagram

Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) have recently attracted much attention as a possible way to extend the Hubble diagram to very high redshift. To this aim, the luminosity (or isotropic emitted energy) of a GRB at redshift z must be evaluated from a correlation with a distance independent quantity so that one can then solve for the luminosity distance D_L(z) and hence the distance modulus mu(z). Averaging over five different two parameters correlations and using a fiducial cosmological model to calibrate them, Schaefer (2007) has compiled a sample of 69 GRBs with measured mu(z) which has since then been widely used to constrain cosmological parameters. We update here that sample by many aspects. First, we add a recently found correlation for the X - ray afterglow and use a Bayesian inspired fitting method to calibrate the different GRBs correlations known insofar assuming a fiducial LCDM model in agreement with the recent WMAP5 data. Averaging over six correlations, we end with a new GRBs Hubble diagram comprising 83 objects. We also extensively explore the impact of varying the fiducial cosmological model considering how the estimated mu(z) change as a function of the $(\Omega_M, w_0, w_a)$ parameters of the Chevallier - Polarski - Linder phenomenological dark energy equation of state. In order to avoid the need of assuming an {\it a priori} cosmological model, we present a new calibration procedure based on a model independent local regression estimate of mu(z) using the Union SNeIa sample to calibrate the GRBs correlations. This finally gives us a GRBs Hubble diagram made out of 69 GRBs whose estimated distance modulus mu(z) is almost independent on the underlying cosmological model.

Radial distributions of gamma-ray bursts and type Ib/c supernovae in galaxies

Data on the positions of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in galaxies are used to construct the radial distributions of their surface density. The gradient in GRB surface density is shown to decrease sharply at a galactocentric distance equal to the effective galactic radius. In central galactic regions, the GRB density distribution agrees with the galactic surface-brightness distribution; in outer regions, the GRB density decreases more slowly than does the surface brightness. Based on improved statistics, we analyze the radial distribution of type Ib/c supernovae. We show that it differs insignificantly from the distributions of other types of supernova and exhibits a much closer similarity to the distribution of star-forming regions than do GRBs. Although the statistics for GRBs is poor, the deviation of their distribution from the distribution of active star-forming regions in nearby galaxies seems to have been firmly established. A correlation of GRBs with the distribution of dark matter in outer galactic regions is not ruled out.

On Suggestive Correlations between Gamma‐Ray Bursts and Clusters of Galaxies

Recent claims of angular correlations between gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and clusters of galaxies are evaluated in light of existing but previously uncorrelated GRB positional data. Additional GRB data sets we use include subsamples of soft BATSE 3B bursts, bursts located by the Interplanetary Network (IPN), and GRBs localized by COMPTEL. We confirm a previously reported excess by Rood & Struble (1996) of the 185 rich, nearby clusters of galaxies (Abell, Corwin, & Olowin 1989; ACO clusters) in the 1 σ error circles of 74 BATSE 3B positions but find a typical correlation strength of only 2.5 σ for typical subsamples. However, none of the 185 ACO clusters occur in the 1 σ error boxes of 40 IPN GRBs or 18 COMPTEL GRBs. When all ACO clusters are correlated with BATSE 3B GRBs, however, we find an increasingly strong correlation for GRBs with decreasingly small error boxes, reaching above the 3.5 σ level. We also find a slight excess of soft BATSE GRBs near the positions of 185 rich, nearby ACO clusters, but the significance of the correlation averages only 2.5 σ for subsamples delineated by softness. We caution that the statistical significance of all these correlations is marginal and so conclude that the excess is at best only suggestive of a physical association. Statistical fluke is still a strong possibility. BATSE could confirm or refute such correlations in a 10 year lifetime.

New Evidence for the Cosmological Origin of Gamma-Ray Bursts

We find that Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at the 3B catalog are correlated (at 95\% confidence level) with Abell clusters. This is the first known correlation of GRBs with any other astronomical population. It confirms the cosmological origin of GRBs. Comparison of the rich clusters auto-correlation with the cross-correlation found here suggests that \sim 26 \pm 15\% of an accurate (\delta<2.3 deg.) position GRBs sub-sample members are located within 600 \hmpc.