The radio afterglow and the host galaxy of the x-ray-rich GRB 981226

D. A. Frail; S. R. Kulkarni; J. S. Bloom; S. G. Djorgovski; V. Gorjian; R. R. Gal; J. Meltzer; R. Sari; F. H. Chaffee; R. Goodrich; F. Frontera; E. Costa

doi:10.1086/312347/pdf

The radio afterglow and the host galaxy of the x-ray-rich GRB 981226

D. A. Frail, S. R. Kulkarni, J. S. Bloom, S. G. Djorgovski, V. Gorjian, R. R. Gal, J. Meltzer, R. Sari, F. H. Chaffee, R. Goodrich, F. Frontera, E. Costa

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the discovery of a radio transient VLA 232937.22235553, coincident with the proposed X-ray afterglow for the gamma-ray burst GRB 981226. This gamma-ray burst (GRB) has the highest ratio of X-ray to gamma-ray fluence of all the GRBs detected by BeppoSAX so far, and yet no corresponding optical transient was detected. The radio light curve of VLA 232937.22235553 is qualitatively similar to that of several other radio afterglows. At the subarcsecond position provided by the radio detection, optical imaging reveals an extended R = 24.9 mag object, which we identify as the host galaxy of GRB 981226. Afterglow models that invoke a jetlike geometry for the outflow or that require an ambient medium with a radial density dependence, such as that produced by a wind from a massive star, are both consistent with the radio data. Furthermore, we show that the observed properties of the radio afterglow can explain the absence of an optical transient without the need for large extinction local to the GRB.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	L81-L84
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	525
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/312347/pdf
State	Published - 10 Nov 1999
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
S. R. K.'s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.

Funding Information:
S. R. K.’s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.

Publisher Copyright:
©1999. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Keywords

Gamma rays: bursts
Radio continuum: general
Shock waves

Access to Document

10.1086/312347/pdf

Cite this

@article{ea7843656f6241739d092d014fc43171,

title = "The radio afterglow and the host galaxy of the x-ray-rich GRB 981226",

abstract = "We report the discovery of a radio transient VLA 232937.22235553, coincident with the proposed X-ray afterglow for the gamma-ray burst GRB 981226. This gamma-ray burst (GRB) has the highest ratio of X-ray to gamma-ray fluence of all the GRBs detected by BeppoSAX so far, and yet no corresponding optical transient was detected. The radio light curve of VLA 232937.22235553 is qualitatively similar to that of several other radio afterglows. At the subarcsecond position provided by the radio detection, optical imaging reveals an extended R = 24.9 mag object, which we identify as the host galaxy of GRB 981226. Afterglow models that invoke a jetlike geometry for the outflow or that require an ambient medium with a radial density dependence, such as that produced by a wind from a massive star, are both consistent with the radio data. Furthermore, we show that the observed properties of the radio afterglow can explain the absence of an optical transient without the need for large extinction local to the GRB.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: bursts, Radio continuum: general, Shock waves",

author = "Frail, {D. A.} and Kulkarni, {S. R.} and Bloom, {J. S.} and Djorgovski, {S. G.} and V. Gorjian and Gal, {R. R.} and J. Meltzer and R. Sari and Chaffee, {F. H.} and R. Goodrich and F. Frontera and E. Costa",

note = "Funding Information: S. R. K.'s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation. Funding Information: S. R. K.{\textquoteright}s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright}1999. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.",

year = "1999",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/312347/pdf",

language = "American English",

volume = "525",

pages = "L81--L84",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The radio afterglow and the host galaxy of the x-ray-rich GRB 981226

AU - Frail, D. A.

AU - Kulkarni, S. R.

AU - Bloom, J. S.

AU - Djorgovski, S. G.

AU - Gorjian, V.

AU - Gal, R. R.

AU - Meltzer, J.

AU - Sari, R.

AU - Chaffee, F. H.

AU - Goodrich, R.

AU - Frontera, F.

AU - Costa, E.

N1 - Funding Information: S. R. K.'s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation. Funding Information: S. R. K.’s research is supported by grants from NSF and NASA. We thank B. Schaefer, B. Jacoby, L. Hillenbrand, and T. Chelminiak for making some of the optical observations. The VLA is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation. Publisher Copyright: ©1999. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

PY - 1999/11/10

Y1 - 1999/11/10

N2 - We report the discovery of a radio transient VLA 232937.22235553, coincident with the proposed X-ray afterglow for the gamma-ray burst GRB 981226. This gamma-ray burst (GRB) has the highest ratio of X-ray to gamma-ray fluence of all the GRBs detected by BeppoSAX so far, and yet no corresponding optical transient was detected. The radio light curve of VLA 232937.22235553 is qualitatively similar to that of several other radio afterglows. At the subarcsecond position provided by the radio detection, optical imaging reveals an extended R = 24.9 mag object, which we identify as the host galaxy of GRB 981226. Afterglow models that invoke a jetlike geometry for the outflow or that require an ambient medium with a radial density dependence, such as that produced by a wind from a massive star, are both consistent with the radio data. Furthermore, we show that the observed properties of the radio afterglow can explain the absence of an optical transient without the need for large extinction local to the GRB.

AB - We report the discovery of a radio transient VLA 232937.22235553, coincident with the proposed X-ray afterglow for the gamma-ray burst GRB 981226. This gamma-ray burst (GRB) has the highest ratio of X-ray to gamma-ray fluence of all the GRBs detected by BeppoSAX so far, and yet no corresponding optical transient was detected. The radio light curve of VLA 232937.22235553 is qualitatively similar to that of several other radio afterglows. At the subarcsecond position provided by the radio detection, optical imaging reveals an extended R = 24.9 mag object, which we identify as the host galaxy of GRB 981226. Afterglow models that invoke a jetlike geometry for the outflow or that require an ambient medium with a radial density dependence, such as that produced by a wind from a massive star, are both consistent with the radio data. Furthermore, we show that the observed properties of the radio afterglow can explain the absence of an optical transient without the need for large extinction local to the GRB.

KW - Gamma rays: bursts

KW - Radio continuum: general

KW - Shock waves

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033544256&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/312347/pdf

DO - 10.1086/312347/pdf

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0033544256

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 525

SP - L81-L84

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

ER -

The radio afterglow and the host galaxy of the x-ray-rich GRB 981226

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this