The optical afterglow of the short γ-ray burst GRB 050709

Jens Hjorth (), Darach Watson, Johan P. U. Fynbo, Paul A. Price, Brian L. Jensen, Uffe G. Jørgensen, Daniel Kubas, Javier Gorosabel, Páll Jakobsson, Jesper Sollerman, Kristian Pedersen and Chryssa Kouveliotou
Additional contact information
Jens Hjorth: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Darach Watson: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Johan P. U. Fynbo: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Paul A. Price: University of Hawaii
Brian L. Jensen: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Uffe G. Jørgensen: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Daniel Kubas: ESO Santiago
Javier Gorosabel: Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC)
Páll Jakobsson: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Jesper Sollerman: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Kristian Pedersen: University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej
Chryssa Kouveliotou: National Space Science Technology Center

Nature, 2005, vol. 437, issue 7060, 859-861

Abstract: Short gamma-ray bursts Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are either ‘long and soft’, or ‘short and hard’. The long-duration type leave a strong afterglow and have been extensively studied. So we have a good idea of what causes them: explosions of massive stars in distant star-forming galaxies. Short GRBs, with no strong afterglow, were harder to pin down. The Swift satellite, launched last November, is designed to study bursts as soon as they happen. Having shown its worth with long GRBs (reported in the 18 August issue of Nature), Swift has now bagged a short burst, GRB 050509B, precisely measured its location and detected the X-ray afterglow. Four papers this week report on this and another recent short burst. Now, over 20 years after they were first recognized, the likely origin of the short GRBs is revealed as a merger between neutron stars of a binary system and the instantaneous production of a black hole.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature04174

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