The Astrophysical Journal Letters (Jan 2023)
Extreme Variability in a Long-duration Gamma-Ray Burst Associated with a Kilonova
- P. Veres,
- P. N. Bhat,
- E. Burns,
- R. Hamburg,
- N. Fraija,
- D. Kocevski,
- R. Preece,
- S. Poolakkil,
- N. Christensen,
- M. A. Bizouard,
- T. Dal Canton,
- S. Bala,
- E. Bissaldi,
- M. S. Briggs,
- W. Cleveland,
- A. Goldstein,
- B. A. Hristov,
- C. M. Hui,
- S. Lesage,
- B. Mailyan,
- O. J. Roberts,
- C. A. Wilson-Hodge
Affiliations
- P. Veres
- ORCiD
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; [email protected]; Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- P. N. Bhat
- ORCiD
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- E. Burns
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University , Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- R. Hamburg
- ORCiD
- Université Paris-Saclay , CNRS/IN2P3, IJCLab, F-91405 Orsay, France
- N. Fraija
- ORCiD
- Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Circuito Exterior, C.U., A. Postal 70-264, 04510, CDMX, Mexico
- D. Kocevski
- ORCiD
- NASA Marshall Space Flight Center , Martin Rd. SW, Huntsville, 35808, AL, USA
- R. Preece
- ORCiD
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- S. Poolakkil
- ORCiD
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; [email protected]; Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- N. Christensen
- ORCiD
- Université Côte d’Azur , Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Artemis, F-06300 Nice, France
- M. A. Bizouard
- ORCiD
- Université Côte d’Azur , Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Artemis, F-06300 Nice, France
- T. Dal Canton
- ORCiD
- Université Paris-Saclay , CNRS/IN2P3, IJCLab, F-91405 Orsay, France
- S. Bala
- ORCiD
- Science and Technology Institute , Universities Space Research Association, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
- E. Bissaldi
- ORCiD
- Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica, Politecnico di Bari , Via E. Orabona 4, I-70125 Bari, Italy; INFN—Sezione di Bari , Via E. Orabona 4, I-70125 Bari, Italy
- M. S. Briggs
- ORCiD
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; [email protected]; Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- W. Cleveland
- ORCiD
- Science and Technology Institute , Universities Space Research Association, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
- A. Goldstein
- ORCiD
- Science and Technology Institute , Universities Space Research Association, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
- B. A. Hristov
- ORCiD
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- C. M. Hui
- ORCiD
- ST12 Astrophysics Branch, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center , Huntsville, AL 35812, USA
- S. Lesage
- ORCiD
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; [email protected]; Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville , Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
- B. Mailyan
- ORCiD
- Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology , Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
- O. J. Roberts
- ORCiD
- Science and Technology Institute, Universities Space and Research Association , 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
- C. A. Wilson-Hodge
- ORCiD
- ST12 Astrophysics Branch, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center , Huntsville, AL 35812, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ace82d
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 954,
no. 1
p. L5
Abstract
The recent discovery of a kilonova from the long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) GRB 211211A challenges classification schemes based on temporal information alone. Gamma-ray properties of GRB 211211A reveal an extreme event, which stands out among both short and long GRBs. We find very short variations (few milliseconds) in the lightcurve of GRB 211211A and estimate ∼1000 for the Lorentz factor of the outflow. We discuss the relevance of the short variations in identifying similar long GRBs resulting from compact mergers. Our findings indicate that in future gravitational-wave follow-up campaigns, some long-duration GRBs should be treated as possible strong gravitational-wave counterparts.
Keywords
