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The bright optical flash from GRB 060117

Martin Jelínek·Michael Prouza·Petr Kubánek·René Hudec·Martin Nekola·Jan Řídký·Jiří Grygar·Martina Boháčová·Alberto J. Castro-Tirado·Javier Gorosabel·Miroslav Hrabovský·Dušan Mandát·Dalibor Nosek·Libor Nožka·Miroslav Palatka·Shashi B. Pandey·Miroslav Pech·Petr Schovánek·Radomír Šmída·Petr Trávníček·Antonio de Ugarte Postigo·Stanislav Vítek
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Abstract

We present a discovery and observation of an extraordinarily bright prompt optical emission of the GRB 060117 obtained by a wide-field camera atop the robotic telescope FRAM of the Pierre Auger Observatory from 2 to 10 minutes after the GRB. We found rapid average temporal flux decay of alpha = -1.7 +- 0.1 and a peak brightness R = 10.1 mag. Later observations by other instruments set a strong limit on the optical and radio transient fluxes, unveiling an unexpectedly rapid further decay. We present an interpretation featuring a relatively steep electron-distribution parameter p ~ 3.0 and providing a straightforward solution for the overall fast decay of this optical transient as a transition between reverse and forward shock.

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Martin Jelínek, Michael Prouza, Petr Kubánek, René Hudec, Martin Nekola, Jan Řídký, Jiří Grygar, Martina Boháčová, Alberto J. Castro-Tirado, Javier Gorosabel, Miroslav Hrabovský, Dušan Mandát, Dalibor Nosek, Libor Nožka, Miroslav Palatka, Shashi B. Pandey, Miroslav Pech, Petr Schovánek, Radomír Šmída, Petr Trávníček, Antonio de Ugarte Postigo, Stanislav Vítek. 2006-06-02. The bright optical flash from GRB 060117. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%3A20065092

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