Energy input and response from prompt and early optical afterglow emission in γ-ray bursts

W. T. Vestrand (), J. A. Wren, P. R. Wozniak, R. Aptekar, S. Golentskii, V. Pal'shin, T. Sakamoto, R. R. White, S. Evans, D. Casperson and E. Fenimore
Additional contact information
W. T. Vestrand: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
J. A. Wren: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
P. R. Wozniak: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
R. Aptekar: Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute
S. Golentskii: Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute
V. Pal'shin: Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute
T. Sakamoto: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 661
R. R. White: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
S. Evans: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
D. Casperson: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466
E. Fenimore: Space Science and Applications Group, ISR-1, MS-D466

Nature, 2006, vol. 442, issue 7099, 172-175

Abstract: First lights When a bright γ-ray burst is sighted, two distinct types of optical emission are seen during the first few minutes after the burst: the 'prompt' emission and the early afterglow. GRB 050820a, a burst that occurred on 20 August last year, provided astronomers with the opportunity to answer the question: “when does the early afterglow begin?“ The answer: not at the burst trigger time as is normally assumed. Rather, it seems to be a response or reverberation related to the energy release measured by the prompt optical and γ-ray emission. This opens a new area of γ-ray burst research because the response to the impulse energy can be used to probe the properties of the jet and the surrounding medium.

Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1038/nature04913

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