arXiv subjects

A. Levine

Publications and source records attributed to A. Levine.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2006

HETE-2 Localizations and Observations of Four Short Gamma-Ray Bursts: GRBs 010326B, 040802, 051211 and 060121

Here we report the localizations and properties of four short-duration GRBs localized by the High Energy Transient Explorer 2 satellite (HETE-2): GRBs 010326B, 040802, 051211 and 060121, all of which were detected by the French Gamma Telescope (Fregate) and localized with the Wide-field X-ray Monitor (WXM) and/or Soft X-ray Camera (SXC) instruments. We discuss eight possible criteria for determining whether these GRBs are "short population bursts" (SPBs) or "long population bursts" (LPBs). These criteria are (1) duration, (2) pulse widths, (3) spectral hardness, (4) spectral lag, (5) energy Egamma radiated in gamma rays (or equivalently, the kinetic energy E_KE of the GRB jet), (6) existence of a long, soft bump following the burst, (7) location of the burst in the host galaxy, and (8) type of host galaxy. In particular, we have developed a likelihood method for determining the probability that a burst is an SPB or a LPB on the basis of its T90 duration alone. A striking feature of the resulting probability distribution is that the T90 duration at which a burst has an equal probability of being a SPB or a LPB is T90 = 5 s, not T90 = 2 s, as is often used. All four short-duration bursts discussed in detail in this paper have T90 durations in the Fregate 30-400 keV energy band of 1.90, 2.31, 4.25, and 1.97 sec, respectively, yielding probabilities P(S|T90) = 0.97, 0.91, 0.60, and 0.95 that these bursts are SPBs on the basis of their T90 durations alone. All four bursts also have spectral lags consistent with zero. These results provide strong evidence that all four GRBs are SPBs (abstract continues).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Discovery of the short gamma-ray burst GRB 050709

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) fall into two classes: short-hard and long-soft bursts. The latter are now known to have X-ray and optical afterglows, to occur at cosmological distances in star-forming galaxies, and to be associated with the explosion of massive stars. In contrast, the distance scale, the energy scale, and the progenitors of short bursts have remained a mystery. Here we report the discovery of a short-hard burst whose accurate localization has led to follow-up observations that have identified the X-ray afterglow and (for the first time) the optical afterglow of a short-hard burst. These, in turn, have led to identification of the host galaxy of the burst as a late-type galaxy at z=0.16 showing that at least some short-hard bursts occur at cosmological distances in the outskirts of galaxies, and are likely to be due to the merging of compact binaries.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

HETE-2 Observation of two gamma-ray bursts at z > 3

GRB 020124 and GRB 030323 constitute half the sample of gamma-ray bursts with a measured redshift greater than 3. This paper presents the temporal and spectral properties of these two gamma-ray bursts detected and localized with HETE-2. While they have nearly identical redshifts (z=3.20 for GRB 020124, and z=3.37 for GRB 030323), these two GRBs span about an order of magnitude in fluence, thus sampling distinct regions of the GRB luminosity function. The properties of these two bursts are compared with those of the bulk of the GRB population detected by HETE-2. We also discuss the energetics of GRB 020124 and GRB 030323 and show that they are compatible with the Epeak - Eiso relation discovered by Amati et al. (2002). Finally, we compute the maximum redshifts at which these bursts could have been detected by HETE-2 and we address various issues connected with the detection and localization of high-z GRBs.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

High Energy Observations of XRF 030723: Evidence for an Off-axis Gamma-Ray Burst?

We report High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE-2) Wide Field X-ray Monitor/French Gamma Telescope observations of XRF030723 along with observations of the XRF afterglow made using the 6.5m Magellan Clay telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observed peak energy E_pk_obs of the nu F_nu burst spectrum is found to lie within (or below) the WXM 2-25 keV passband at 98.5% confidence, and no counts are detected above 30 keV. Our best fit value is E_pk_obs=8.4+3.5/-3.4 keV. The ratio of X-ray to Gamma-ray flux for the burst follows a correlation found for GRBs observed with HETE-2, and the duration of the burst is similar to that typical of long-duration GRBs. If we require that the burst isotropic equivalent energy E_iso and E_pk_rest satisfy the relation discovered by Amati et al. (2002), a redshift of z=0.38+0.36/-0.18 can be determined, in agreement with constraints determined from optical observations. We are able to fit the X-ray afterglow spectrum and to measure its temporal fade. Although the best-fit fade is shallower than the concurrent fade in the optical, the spectral similarity between the two bands indicates that the X-ray fade may actually trace the optical fade. If this is the case, the late time rebrightening observed in the optical cannot be due to a supernova bump. We interpret the prompt and afterglow X-ray emission as arising from a jetted GRB observed off-axis and possibly viewed through a complex circumburst medium due to a progenitor wind.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Global Characteristics of X-Ray Flashes and X-Ray-Rich GRBs Observed by HETE-2

We describe and discuss the global properties of 45 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed by HETE-2 during the first three years of its mission, focusing on the properties of X-Ray Flashes (XRFs) and X-ray-rich GRBs (XRRs). We find that the numbers of XRFs, XRRs, and GRBs are comparable. We find that the durations and the sky distributions of XRFs and XRRs are similar to those of GRBs. We also find that the spectral properties of XRFs and XRRs are similar to those of GRBs, except that the values of the peak energy $E^{\rm obs}_{\rm peak}$ of the burst spectrum in $νF_ν$, the peak energy flux $\Fp$, and the energy fluence $S_E$ of XRFs are much smaller -- and those of XRRs are smaller -- than those of GRBs. Finally, we find that the distributions of all three kinds of bursts form a continuum in the [$S_E$(2-30 keV),$S_E$(30-400) keV]-plane, the [$S_E$(2-400 keV), $E_{\rm peak}$]-plane, and the [$F_{\rm peak}$(50-300 keV), $E_{\rm peak}$]-plane. These results provide strong evidence that all three kinds of bursts arise from the same phenomenon.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Scientific Highlights of the HETE-2 Mission

The HETE-2 mission has been highly productive. It has observed more than 250 GRBs so far. It is currently localizing 25 - 30 GRBs per year, and has localized 43 GRBs to date. Twenty-one of these localizations have led to the detection of X-ray, optical, or radio afterglows, and as of now, 11 of the bursts with afterglows have known redshifts. HETE-2 has confirmed the connection between GRBs and Type Ic supernovae, a singular achievement and certainly one of the scientific highlights of the mission so far. It has provided evidence that the isotropic-equivalent energies and luminosities of GRBs are correlated with redshift, implying that GRBs and their progenitors evolve strongly with redshift. Both of these results have profound implications for the nature of GRB progenitors and for the use of GRBs as a probe of cosmology and the early universe. HETE-2 has placed severe constraints on any X-ray or optical afterglow of a short GRB. It is also solving the mystery of "optically dark' GRBs, and revealing the nature of X-ray flashes.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

HETE-2 Observations of the Extremely Soft X-Ray Flash XRF 020903

We report HETE-2 WXM/FREGATE observations of the X-ray flash, XRF 020903. This event was extremely soft: the ratio log(S_X/S_gamma) = 0.7, where S_X and S_gamma are the fluences in the 2-30 and 30-400 keV energy bands, is the most extreme value observed so far by HETE-2. In addition, the spectrum has an observed peak energy E^{obs}_{peak} < 5.0 keV (99.7 % probability upper limit) and no photons were detected above ~10 keV. The burst is shorter at higher energies, which is similar to the behavior of long GRBs. We consider the possibility that the burst lies at very high redshift and that the low value of E^{obs}_{peak} is due to the cosmological redshift, and show that this is very unlikely. We find that the properties of XRF 020903 are consistent with the relation between the fluences S(7-30 keV) and S(30-400 keV) found by Barraud et al. for GRBs and X-ray-rich GRBs, and are consistent with the extension by a decade of the hardness-intensity correlation (Mallozzi et al. 1995) found by the same authors. Assuming that XRF 020903 lies at a redshift z = 0.25 as implied by the host galaxy of the candidate optical and radio afterglows of this burst, we find that the properties of XRF 020903 are consistent with an extension by a factor ~300 of the relation between the isotropic-equivalent energy E_iso and the peak E_peak of the nu F_nu spectrum (in the source frame of the burst) found by Amati et al. for GRBs. The results presented in this paper therefore provide evidence that XRFs, X-ray-rich GRBs, and GRBs form a continuum and are a single phenomenon. The results also impose strong constraints on models of XRFs and X-ray-rich GRBs.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

HETE-2 Localization and Observation of the Bright, X-Ray-Rich Gamma-Ray Burst GRB021211

A bright, x-ray-rich GRB was detected by HETE-2 at 11:18:34.03 UT on 11 Dec 2002. The WXM localization was to 14' and relayed to the GCN 22 s after the start of the burst. The ground SXC localization was within 2' of R.A. 08h 09m 00s, Dec 06d 44' 20" (J2000). GRB021211 consists of a single, FRED-like pulse with t90s of 2.3 s (85-400 keV) and 8.5 s (2-10 keV). The peak photon number and photon energy fluxes in the 2-400 keV band, are 34.0 +/- 1.8 ph cm^-2 s^-1 and 1.68 +/- 0.11 x 10^-6 erg cm^-2 s^-1, respectively. The energy fluences in the 2-30 keV and 30-400 kev energy bands are S_X = 1.36 +/- 0.05 x 10^-6 erg cm^-2 and S_gamma 2.17 +/- 0.15 x 10^-6 erg cm^-2, respectively. Thus GRB021211 is an X-ray-rich GRB (S_X/S_gamma = 0.63 > 0.32). The spectrum is well-fit by a Band function (alpha = -0.805, beta = -2.37, E_peak = 46.8 keV). The prompt localization allowed the detection of an optical afterglow for what would otherwise have been an ``optically dark'' GRB. GRB 021211 demonstrates that some fraction of burst afterglows are ``optically dark'' because their optical afterglows at times > 1 hr after the burst are very faint, and thus have often escaped detection. GRB 021211 shows that such ``optically dim'' bursts can have very bright afterglows at times < 20 min after the burst.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Spectral analysis of 35 GRBs/XRFs observed with HETE-2/FREGATE

We present a spectral analysis of 35 GRBs detected with the HETE-2 gamma-ray detectors (the FREGATE instrument) in the energy range 7-400 keV. The GRB sample analyzed is made of GRBs localized with the Wide Field X-ray Monitor onboard HETE-2 or with the GRB Interplanetary Network. We derive the spectral parameters of the time-integrated spectra, and present the distribution of the low-energy photon index, alpha, and of the peak energy, e_peak . We then discuss the existence and nature of the recently discovered X-Ray Flashes and their relationship with classical GRBs.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

HETE-2 Localization and Observations of the Short, Hard Gamma-Ray Burst GRB020531

The {\it HETE-2} (hereafter \HETE) French Gamma Telescope (FREGATE) and the Wide-field X-ray Monitor (WXM) instruments detected a short ($t_{50} = 360$ msec in the FREGATE 85-300 keV energy band), hard gamma-ray burst (GRB) that occurred at 1578.72 SOD (00:26:18.72 UT) on 31 May 2002. The WXM flight localization software produced a valid location in spacecraft (relative) coordinates. However, since no on-board real-time star camera aspect was available, an absolute localization could not be disseminated. A preliminary localization was reported as a GCN Position Notice at 01:54:22 UT, 88 min after the burst. Further ground analysis produced a refined localization, which can be expressed as a 90% confidence rectangle that is 67 arcminutes in RA and 43 arcminutes in Dec (90% confidence region), centered at RA = +15$^{\rm h}$ 14$^{\rm m}$ 45$^{\rm s}$, Dec = -19$^\circ$ 21\arcmin 35\arcsec (J2000). An IPN localization of the burst was disseminated 18 hours after the GRB (Hurley et al. 2002b). A refined IPN localization was disseminated $\approx$ 5 days after the burst. This hexagonal-shaped localization error region is centered on RA = 15$^{\rm h}$ 15$^{\rm m}$ 03.57$^{\rm s}$, -19$^\circ$ 24\arcmin 51.00\arcsec (J2000), and has an area of $\approx$ 22 square arcminutes (99.7% confidence region). The prompt localization of this short, hard GRB by \HETE and the anti-Sun pointing of the \HETE instruments, coupled with the refinement of the localization by the IPN, has made possible rapid follow-up observations of the burst at radio, optical, and X-ray wavelengths.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

X-Ray Light Curves of Gamma-ray Bursts Detected with the All-Sky Monitor on RXTE

We present X-ray light curves (1.5-12 keV) for fifteen gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the All-Sky Monitor on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. We compare these soft X-ray light curves with count rate histories obtained by the high-energy (>12 keV) experiments BATSE, Konus-Wind, the BeppoSAX Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor, and the burst monitor on Ulysses. We discuss these light curves within the context of a simple relativistic fireball and synchrotron shock paradigm, and we address the possibility of having observed the transition between a GRB and its afterglow. The light curves show diverse morphologies, with striking differences between energy bands. In several bursts, intervals of significant emission are evident in the ASM energy range with little or no corresponding emission apparent in the high-energy light curves. For example, the final peak of GRB 970815 as recorded by the ASM is only detected in the softest BATSE energy bands. We also study the duration of bursts as a function of energy. Simple, singly-peaked bursts seem consistent with the E^{-0.5} power law expected from an origin in synchrotron radiation, but durations of bursts that exhibit complex temporal structure are not consistent with this prediction. Bursts such as GRB 970828 that show many short spikes of emission at high energies last significantly longer at low energies than the synchrotron cooling law would predict.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

GRB010921: Localization and Observations by the HETE Satellite

On September 21 at 18950.56 SOD (05:15:50.56) UT the FREGATE gamma-ray instrument on the High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE) detected a bright gamma-ray burst (GRB). The burst was also seen by the X-detector on the WXM X-ray instrument and was therefore well-localized in the X direction; however, the burst was outside the fully-coded field-of-view of the WXM Y-detector, and therefore information on the Y direction of the burst was limited. Cross-correlation of the HETE and Ulysses time histories yielded an Interplanetary Network (IPN) annulus that crosses the HETE error strip at a ~45 degree angle. The intersection of the HETE error strip and the IPN annulus produces a diamond-shaped error region for the location of the burst having an area of 310 square arcminutes. Based on the FREGATE and WXM light curves, the duration of the burst is characterized by a t90 = 18.4 s in the WXM 4 - 25 keV energy range, and 23.8 s and 21.8 s in the FREGATE 6 - 40 and 32 - 400 keV energy ranges, respectively. The fluence of the burst in these same energy ranges is 4.8 10^{-6}, 5.5 10^{-6}, and 11.4 10^{-6} erg cm^{-2}, respectively. Subsequent optical and radio observations by ground-based observers have identified the afterglow of GRB010921 and determined an apparent redshift of z = 0.450.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

HST/STIS observations of GRB000301C: CCD imaging and NUV MAMA spectroscopy

We present HST/STIS observations of the optical counterpart (OT) of the gamma-ray burster GRB 000301C obtained on 2000 March 6, five days after the burst. CCD clear aperture imaging reveals a R ~ 21.50+/-0.15 source with no apparent host galaxy. An 8000 s, 1150 < lambda/A < 3300 NUV-MAMA prism spectrum shows a relatively flat continuum (in f_lambda) between 2800 and 3300 A, with a mean flux 8.7 (+0.8,-1.6)+/- 2.6 10^(-18) ergs/s/cm^2/A, and a sharp break centered at 2797+/-25 A. We interpret it as HI Lyman break at z = 2.067+/-0.025 indicating the presence of a cloud with a HI column density log(HI) > 18 on the line-of-sight to the OT. This value is conservatively a lower limit to the GRB redshift. However, the facts that large N(HI) system are usually considered as progenitors of present day galaxies and that other OTs are found associated with star forming galaxies strongly suggest that it is the GRB redshift. In any case, this represents the largest direct redshift determination of a gamma-ray burster to date. Our data are compatible with an OT spectrum represented by a power-law with an intrinsic index α= 1.2((f_nu \propto nu^-alpha) and no extinction in the host galaxy or with alpha = 0.5 and extinction by a SMC-like dust in the OT rest-frame with A_V = 0.15. The large N(HI) and the lack of detected host is similar to the situation for damped Ly-alpha absorbers at z > 2.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Discovery of the Optical Transient of the Gamma Ray Burst 990308

The optical transient of the faint Gamma Ray Burst 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1-m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hours after the burst. Our photometry gives $V = 18.32 \pm 0.07$, $R = 18.14 \pm 0.06$, $B = 18.65 \pm 0.23$, and $R = 18.22 \pm 0.05$ for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hours after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to $f_ν \propto ν^{1/3}$. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than $10^{4} cm^{-3}$, the electrons contain $> 20%$ of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy must be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of $V > 12.0$ at 132 s (with LOTIS), $V > 13.4$ from 132-1029s (with LOTIS), $V > 15.3$ at 28.2 min (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of $< 114 μJy$ at 110 days (with the Very Large Array). WIYN 3.5-m and Keck 10-m telescopes reveal this location to be empty of any host galaxy to $R > 25.7$ and $K > 23.3$. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a red shift of $\sim 1.2$.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Self-Organized Short-Term Memories

We report short-term memory formation in a nonlinear dynamical system with many degrees of freedom. The system ``remembers'' a sequence of impulses for a transient period, but it coarsens and eventually ``forgets'' nearly all of them. The memory duration increases as the number of degrees of freedom in the system increases. We demonstrate the existence of these transient memories in a laboratory experiment.

cond-mat↗