GRB 050117: Simultaneous Gamma-ray and X-ray Observations with the Swift Satellite

Journal Article · Fri May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2207904· OSTI ID:20798686

Hill, J E ^[1]; Morris, D C; Burrows, D N; Kennea, J A; Meszaros, P; Nousek, J A ^[2]; Sakamoto, T; Barthelmy, S; Markwardt, C; Gehrels, N ^[1]; Sato, G ^[3]; Angelini, L ^[1]; Pagani, C ^[2]; Moretti, A; Campana, S; Tagliaferri, G ^[4]; Abbey, A F ^[5]; Beardmore, A P; O'Brien, P T; Osborne, J P ^[6]

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1. NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
2. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)
3. ISAS/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Kanagawa, 229-8510 (Japan)
4. INAF -Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, 23807 Merate (Italy)
5. Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)
6. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)

The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer performed its first autonomous, X-ray follow-up to a newly detected GRB on 2005 January 17, within 193 seconds of the burst trigger by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. While the burst was still in progress, the X-ray Telescope obtained a position and an image for an un-catalogued X-ray source; simultaneous with the gamma-ray observation. The XRT observed flux during the prompt emission was 1.1 x 10-8 ergs cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5-10 keV energy band. The emission in the X-ray band decreased by three orders of magnitude within 700 seconds, following the prompt emission. This is found to be consistent with the gamma-ray decay when extrapolated into the XRT energy band. During the following 6.3 hours, the XRT observed the afterglow in an automated sequence for an additional 947 seconds, until the burst became fully obscured by the Earth limb. A faint, extremely slowly decaying afterglow, {alpha}=-0.21, was detected. Finally, a break in the lightcurve occurred and the flux decayed with {alpha}<-1.2. The X-ray position triggered many follow-up observations: no optical afterglow could be confirmed, although a candidate was identified 3 arcsecs from the XRT position.

• OSTI ID: 20798686
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 836; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AFTERGLOW
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES
COSMIC PHOTONS
GAMMA DETECTION
GAMMA RADIATION
IMAGES
KEV RANGE
PHOTON EMISSION
X RADIATION
X-RAY DETECTION