The anomalous early afterglow of GRB 050801

Authors

E. S. Rykoff, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
V. Mangano, INAF Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Palermo
S. A. Yost, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
R. Sari, California Institute of Technology
F. Aharonian, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
C. W. Akerlof, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
M. C.B. Ashley, UNSW Sydney
S. D. Barthelmy, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
D. N. Burrows, Pennsylvania State University
N. Gehrels, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
E. Göǧüş, Sabancı Üniversitesi
T. Güver, Istanbul Üniversitesi
D. Horns, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
Ü Kiziloǧlu, Middle East Technical University (METU)
H. A. Krimm, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
T. A. Mckay, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
M. Özel, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi
A. Phillips, UNSW Sydney
R. M. Quimby, The University of Texas at Austin
G. Rowell, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
W. Rujopakarn, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
B. E. Schaefer, Louisiana State University
D. A. Smith, Guilford College
H. F. Swan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
W. T. Vestrand, Los Alamos National Laboratory
J. C. Wheeler, The University of Texas at Austin
J. Wren, Los Alamos National Laboratory
F. Yuan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-10-2006

Abstract

The ROTSE-IIIc telescope at the HESS site, Namibia, obtained the earliest detection of optical emission from a gamma-ray burst (GRB), beginning only 21.8 s from the onset of Swift GRB 050801. The optical light curve does not fade or brighten significantly over the first ∼250 s, after which there is an achromatic break and the light curve declines in typical power-law fashion. The Swift XRT also obtained early observations starting at 69 s after the burst onset. The X-ray light curve shows the same features as the optical light curve. These correlated variations in the early optical and X-ray emission imply a common origin in space and time. This behavior is difficult to reconcile with the standard models of early afterglow emission. © 2006. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Astrophysical Journal

Recommended Citation

Rykoff, E., Mangano, V., Yost, S., Sari, R., Aharonian, F., Akerlof, C., Ashley, M., Barthelmy, S., Burrows, D., Gehrels, N., Göǧüş, E., Güver, T., Horns, D., Kiziloǧlu, Ü., Krimm, H., Mckay, T., Özel, M., Phillips, A., Quimby, R., Rowell, G., Rujopakarn, W., Schaefer, B., Smith, D., Swan, H., Vestrand, W., Wheeler, J., Wren, J., & Yuan, F. (2006). The anomalous early afterglow of GRB 050801. Astrophysical Journal, 638 (1 II) https://doi.org/10.1086/501007