The bright optical flash from GRB 060117

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2006-06
Main Authors: Jelínek, Martin, Prouza, Michael, Kubánek, Petr, Hudec, René, Nekola, Martin, Řídký, Jan, Grygar, Jiří, Boháčová, Martina, Castro-Tirado, Alberto J, Gorosabel, Javier, Hrabovský, Miroslav, Mandát, Dušan, Nosek, Dalibor, Nožka, Libor, Palatka, Miroslav, Pandey, Shashi B, Pech, Miroslav, Schovánek, Petr, Šmída, Radomír, Trávníček, Petr, Antonio de Ugarte Postigo, Vítek, Stanislav
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alpha decay
Augers
Decay rate
Field cameras
Fluxes
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary: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.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.0606004