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Title: THE ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURST 111209A: THE COLLAPSE OF A BLUE SUPERGIANT?

Abstract

We present optical, X-ray and gamma-ray observations of GRB 111209A, observed at a redshift of z = 0.677. We show that this event was active in its prompt phase for about 25000 s, making it the longest burst ever observed. This rare event could have been detected up to z {approx} 1.4 in gamma-rays. Compared to other long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), GRB 111209A is a clear outlier in the energy-fluence and duration plane. The high-energy prompt emission shows no sign of a strong blackbody component, the signature of a tidal disruption event, or a supernova shock breakout. Given the extreme longevity of this event, and lack of any significant observed supernova signature, we propose that GRB 111209A resulted from the core-collapse of a low-metallicity blue supergiant star. This scenario is favored because of the necessity to supply enough mass to the central engine over a duration of thousands of seconds. Hence, we suggest that GRB 111209A could have more in common with population III stellar explosions, rather than those associated with normal long GRBs.

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2]; ;  [3];  [4];  [5]; ;  [6]
  1. ASI Science Data Center, via Galileo Galilei, I-00044 Frascati (Italy)
  2. Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, OAR-INAF, via Frascati 33, I-00040, Monte Porzio Catone (Italy)
  3. Universite de Toulouse, UPS-OMP, IRAP, Toulouse (France)
  4. Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, F-13388, Marseille (France)
  5. CNRS, ARTEMIS, UMR 7250, Boulevard de l'Observatoire, BP 4229, F-06304 Nice Cedex 4 (France)
  6. University of Western Australia, School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 6009 (Australia)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22167563
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 766; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BLACKBODY RADIATION; COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS; MASS; RED SHIFT; SUPERGIANT STARS; X RADIATION

Citation Formats

Gendre, B., Cutini, S., D'Elia, V., Stratta, G., Atteia, J. L., Klotz, A., Basa, S., Boeer, M., Coward, D. M., Howell, E. J, and Piro, L., E-mail: bruce.gendre@gmail.com. THE ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURST 111209A: THE COLLAPSE OF A BLUE SUPERGIANT?. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/766/1/30.
Gendre, B., Cutini, S., D'Elia, V., Stratta, G., Atteia, J. L., Klotz, A., Basa, S., Boeer, M., Coward, D. M., Howell, E. J, & Piro, L., E-mail: bruce.gendre@gmail.com. THE ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURST 111209A: THE COLLAPSE OF A BLUE SUPERGIANT?. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/766/1/30
Gendre, B., Cutini, S., D'Elia, V., Stratta, G., Atteia, J. L., Klotz, A., Basa, S., Boeer, M., Coward, D. M., Howell, E. J, and Piro, L., E-mail: bruce.gendre@gmail.com. 2013. "THE ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURST 111209A: THE COLLAPSE OF A BLUE SUPERGIANT?". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/766/1/30.
@article{osti_22167563,
title = {THE ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURST 111209A: THE COLLAPSE OF A BLUE SUPERGIANT?},
author = {Gendre, B. and Cutini, S. and D'Elia, V. and Stratta, G. and Atteia, J. L. and Klotz, A. and Basa, S. and Boeer, M. and Coward, D. M. and Howell, E. J and Piro, L., E-mail: bruce.gendre@gmail.com},
abstractNote = {We present optical, X-ray and gamma-ray observations of GRB 111209A, observed at a redshift of z = 0.677. We show that this event was active in its prompt phase for about 25000 s, making it the longest burst ever observed. This rare event could have been detected up to z {approx} 1.4 in gamma-rays. Compared to other long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), GRB 111209A is a clear outlier in the energy-fluence and duration plane. The high-energy prompt emission shows no sign of a strong blackbody component, the signature of a tidal disruption event, or a supernova shock breakout. Given the extreme longevity of this event, and lack of any significant observed supernova signature, we propose that GRB 111209A resulted from the core-collapse of a low-metallicity blue supergiant star. This scenario is favored because of the necessity to supply enough mass to the central engine over a duration of thousands of seconds. Hence, we suggest that GRB 111209A could have more in common with population III stellar explosions, rather than those associated with normal long GRBs.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/766/1/30},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22167563}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 766,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Wed Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}