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

Journal Article · Wed Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/766/1/30· OSTI ID:22167563

Gendre, B.; Cutini, S.; D'Elia, V. ^[1]; Stratta, G. ^[2]; Atteia, J. L.; Klotz, A. ^[3]; Basa, S. ^[4]; Boeer, M. ^[5]; Coward, D. M.; Howell, E. J ^[6]

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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)

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.

• OSTI ID: 22167563
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 766, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
BLACKBODY RADIATION
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
MASS
RED SHIFT
SUPERGIANT STARS
X RADIATION