Very bright prompt and reverse shock emission of GRB L40512A

Journal Article · Sat Dec 10 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/833/1/100· OSTI ID:22868346

Huang, Xiao-Li; Zhong, Shu-Qing; Liang, En-Wei ^[1]; Xin, Li-Ping; Qiu, Yu-Lei; Deng, Jin-Song; Wei, Jian-Yan ^[2]; Yi, Shuang-Xi ^[3]

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1. GXU-NAOC Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Department of Physics, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004 (China)
2. Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)
3. College of Physics and Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165 (China)

We report our observations of very bright prompt optical and reverse shock (RS) optical emission of GRB 140512A and analyze its multi-wavelength data observed with the Swift and Fermi missions. It is found that the joint optical–X-ray–gamma-ray spectrum with our first optical detection (R = 13.09 mag) at T{sub 0}+136 s during the second episode of the prompt gamma-rays can be fit by a single power law with an index of −1.32 ± 0.01. Our empirical fit to the afterglow light curves indicates that the observed bright optical afterglow with R = 13.00 mag at the peak time is consistent with predictions of the RS and forward shock (FS) emission of external shock models. A joint optical–X-ray afterglow spectrum is well fit with an absorbed single power law, with an index evolving with time from −1.86 ± 0.01 at the peak time to −1.57 ± 0.01 at a late epoch, which could be due to the evolution of the ratio of the RS to FS emission fluxes. We fit the light curves with standard external models, and derive the physical properties of the outflow. It is found that the ratio R{sub B}≡ϵ{sub B,r}/ϵ{sub B,f} is 8187, indicating a high magnetization degree in the RS region. Measuring the relative radiation efficiency with R{sub e}≡ϵ{sub e,r}/ϵ{sub e,f}, we have R {sub e} = 0.02, implying that the radiation efficiency of the RS is much lower than that in FS. We also show that the R {sub B} of GRBs 990123, 090102, and 130427A are similar to that of GRB 140512A and their apparent difference may be mainly attributed to the difference of the jet kinetic energy, initial Lorentz factor, and medium density among them.

• OSTI ID: 22868346
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 833; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
AFTERGLOW
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
DENSITY
DETECTION
EFFICIENCY
EMISSION
FORECASTING
GAMMA RADIATION
SPECTRA
WAVELENGTHS
X RADIATION