Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308

Bradley E. Schaefer; J. A. Snyder; J. Hernandez; B. Roscherr; M. Deng; N. Ellman; C. Bailyn; A. Rengstorf; D. Smith; A. Levine; S. Barthelmy; P. Butterworth; K. Hurley; T. Cline; C. Meegan; C. Kouveliotou; R. M. Kippen; H. S. Park; G. G. Williams; R. Porrata; R. Bionta; D. Hartmann; D. Band; D. Frail; S. Kulkarni; J. Bloom; S. Djorgovski; D. Sadava; F. Chaffee; F. Harris; C. Abad; B. Adams; P. Andrews; C. Baltay; A. Bongiovanni; C. Briceno; G. Bruzual; P. Coppi; F. Della Prugna; A. Dubuc; W. Emmet; I. Ferrin; F. Fuenmayor; M. Gebhard; D. Herrera; K. Honeycutt; G. Magris; J. Mateu; S. Muffson; J. Musser; O. Naranjo; A. Oemler; R. Pacheco; G. Paredes; M. Rengel; L. Romero; P. Rosenzweig; C. Sabbey; Ge Sánchez; Gu Sánchez; H. Schenner; J. Shin; J. Sinnott; S. Sofia; J. Stock; J. Suarez; D. Telléria; B. Vicente; K. Vieira; K. Vivas

doi:10.1086/312318

Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308

Bradley E. Schaefer, J. A. Snyder, J. Hernandez, B. Roscherr, M. Deng, N. Ellman, C. Bailyn, A. Rengstorf, D. Smith, A. Levine, S. Barthelmy, P. Butterworth, K. Hurley, T. Cline, C. Meegan, C. Kouveliotou, R. M. Kippen, H. S. Park, G. G. Williams, R. PorrataR. Bionta, D. Hartmann, D. Band, D. Frail, S. Kulkarni, J. Bloom, S. Djorgovski, D. Sadava, F. Chaffee, F. Harris, C. Abad, B. Adams, P. Andrews, C. Baltay, A. Bongiovanni, C. Briceno, G. Bruzual, P. Coppi, F. Della Prugna, A. Dubuc, W. Emmet, I. Ferrin, F. Fuenmayor, M. Gebhard, D. Herrera, K. Honeycutt, G. Magris, J. Mateu, S. Muffson, J. Musser, O. Naranjo, A. Oemler, R. Pacheco, G. Paredes, M. Rengel, L. Romero, P. Rosenzweig, C. Sabbey, Ge Sánchez, Gu Sánchez, H. Schenner, J. Shin, J. Sinnott, S. Sofia, J. Stock, J. Suarez, D. Telléria, B. Vicente, K. Vieira, K. Vivas

Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory

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Abstract

The optical transient of the faint gamma-ray burst GRB 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1 m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hr after the burst. Our photometry gives V= 18.32 ± 0.07, R = 18.14 ± 0.06, B = 18.65 ± 0.23, and R = 18.22 ± 0.05 for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hr after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to f_v ∝ v^1/3. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than 10⁴ cm^-3, the electrons contain more than 20% of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of V > 12.0 at 132 s (with LOTIS), V > 13.4 from 132 to 1029 s (with LOTIS), V > 15.3 at 28.2 minutes (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of less than 114 μJy at 110 days (with the Very Large Array). Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO 3.5 m and Keck 10 m telescopes reveal this location to be empty of any host galaxy to R > 25.7 and K > 23.3. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a redshift of ∼1.2.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L103-L106
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	524
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/312318
State	Published - Oct 20 1999

Keywords

Gamma rays: bursts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/312318

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Schaefer, B. E., Snyder, J. A., Hernandez, J., Roscherr, B., Deng, M., Ellman, N., Bailyn, C., Rengstorf, A., Smith, D., Levine, A., Barthelmy, S., Butterworth, P., Hurley, K., Cline, T., Meegan, C., Kouveliotou, C., Kippen, R. M., Park, H. S., Williams, G. G., ... Vivas, K. (1999). Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308. Astrophysical Journal, 524(2 PART 2), L103-L106. https://doi.org/10.1086/312318

Schaefer, BE, Snyder, JA, Hernandez, J, Roscherr, B, Deng, M, Ellman, N, Bailyn, C, Rengstorf, A, Smith, D, Levine, A, Barthelmy, S, Butterworth, P, Hurley, K, Cline, T, Meegan, C, Kouveliotou, C, Kippen, RM, Park, HS, Williams, GG, Porrata, R, Bionta, R, Hartmann, D, Band, D, Frail, D, Kulkarni, S, Bloom, J, Djorgovski, S, Sadava, D, Chaffee, F, Harris, F, Abad, C, Adams, B, Andrews, P, Baltay, C, Bongiovanni, A, Briceno, C, Bruzual, G, Coppi, P, Prugna, FD, Dubuc, A, Emmet, W, Ferrin, I, Fuenmayor, F, Gebhard, M, Herrera, D, Honeycutt, K, Magris, G, Mateu, J, Muffson, S, Musser, J, Naranjo, O, Oemler, A, Pacheco, R, Paredes, G, Rengel, M, Romero, L, Rosenzweig, P, Sabbey, C, Sánchez, G, Sánchez, G, Schenner, H, Shin, J, Sinnott, J, Sofia, S, Stock, J, Suarez, J, Telléria, D, Vicente, B, Vieira, K & Vivas, K 1999, 'Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 524, no. 2 PART 2, pp. L103-L106. https://doi.org/10.1086/312318

@article{2309e0e55b274c10a0d86904592414dc,

title = "Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308",

abstract = "The optical transient of the faint gamma-ray burst GRB 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1 m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hr after the burst. Our photometry gives V= 18.32 ± 0.07, R = 18.14 ± 0.06, B = 18.65 ± 0.23, and R = 18.22 ± 0.05 for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hr after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to fv ∝ v1/3. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than 104 cm-3, the electrons contain more than 20% of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of V > 12.0 at 132 s (with LOTIS), V > 13.4 from 132 to 1029 s (with LOTIS), V > 15.3 at 28.2 minutes (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of less than 114 μJy at 110 days (with the Very Large Array). Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO 3.5 m and Keck 10 m telescopes reveal this location to be empty of any host galaxy to R > 25.7 and K > 23.3. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a redshift of ∼1.2.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: bursts",

author = "Schaefer, {Bradley E.} and Snyder, {J. A.} and J. Hernandez and B. Roscherr and M. Deng and N. Ellman and C. Bailyn and A. Rengstorf and D. Smith and A. Levine and S. Barthelmy and P. Butterworth and K. Hurley and T. Cline and C. Meegan and C. Kouveliotou and Kippen, {R. M.} and Park, {H. S.} and Williams, {G. G.} and R. Porrata and R. Bionta and D. Hartmann and D. Band and D. Frail and S. Kulkarni and J. Bloom and S. Djorgovski and D. Sadava and F. Chaffee and F. Harris and C. Abad and B. Adams and P. Andrews and C. Baltay and A. Bongiovanni and C. Briceno and G. Bruzual and P. Coppi and Prugna, {F. Della} and A. Dubuc and W. Emmet and I. Ferrin and F. Fuenmayor and M. Gebhard and D. Herrera and K. Honeycutt and G. Magris and J. Mateu and S. Muffson and J. Musser and O. Naranjo and A. Oemler and R. Pacheco and G. Paredes and M. Rengel and L. Romero and P. Rosenzweig and C. Sabbey and Ge S{\'a}nchez and Gu S{\'a}nchez and H. Schenner and J. Shin and J. Sinnott and S. Sofia and J. Stock and J. Suarez and D. Tell{\'e}ria and B. Vicente and K. Vieira and K. Vivas",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while the Observatorio Astron{\'o}mico Nacional is operated by CIDA for the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas y Tecnol{\'o}gicas. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while the ObservatorioAstron{\'o}mico Nacional is operated by CIDA for the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas y Tecnol{\'o}gicas.",

year = "1999",

month = oct,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/312318",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "524",

pages = "L103--L106",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "2 PART 2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308

AU - Schaefer, Bradley E.

AU - Snyder, J. A.

AU - Hernandez, J.

AU - Roscherr, B.

AU - Deng, M.

AU - Ellman, N.

AU - Bailyn, C.

AU - Rengstorf, A.

AU - Smith, D.

AU - Levine, A.

AU - Barthelmy, S.

AU - Butterworth, P.

AU - Hurley, K.

AU - Cline, T.

AU - Meegan, C.

AU - Kouveliotou, C.

AU - Kippen, R. M.

AU - Park, H. S.

AU - Williams, G. G.

AU - Porrata, R.

AU - Bionta, R.

AU - Hartmann, D.

AU - Band, D.

AU - Frail, D.

AU - Kulkarni, S.

AU - Bloom, J.

AU - Djorgovski, S.

AU - Sadava, D.

AU - Chaffee, F.

AU - Harris, F.

AU - Abad, C.

AU - Adams, B.

AU - Andrews, P.

AU - Baltay, C.

AU - Bongiovanni, A.

AU - Briceno, C.

AU - Bruzual, G.

AU - Coppi, P.

AU - Prugna, F. Della

AU - Dubuc, A.

AU - Emmet, W.

AU - Ferrin, I.

AU - Fuenmayor, F.

AU - Gebhard, M.

AU - Herrera, D.

AU - Honeycutt, K.

AU - Magris, G.

AU - Mateu, J.

AU - Muffson, S.

AU - Musser, J.

AU - Naranjo, O.

AU - Oemler, A.

AU - Pacheco, R.

AU - Paredes, G.

AU - Rengel, M.

AU - Romero, L.

AU - Rosenzweig, P.

AU - Sabbey, C.

AU - Sánchez, Ge

AU - Sánchez, Gu

AU - Schenner, H.

AU - Shin, J.

AU - Sinnott, J.

AU - Sofia, S.

AU - Stock, J.

AU - Suarez, J.

AU - Telléria, D.

AU - Vicente, B.

AU - Vieira, K.

AU - Vivas, K.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional is operated by CIDA for the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while the ObservatorioAstronómico Nacional is operated by CIDA for the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas.

PY - 1999/10/20

Y1 - 1999/10/20

N2 - The optical transient of the faint gamma-ray burst GRB 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1 m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hr after the burst. Our photometry gives V= 18.32 ± 0.07, R = 18.14 ± 0.06, B = 18.65 ± 0.23, and R = 18.22 ± 0.05 for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hr after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to fv ∝ v1/3. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than 104 cm-3, the electrons contain more than 20% of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of V > 12.0 at 132 s (with LOTIS), V > 13.4 from 132 to 1029 s (with LOTIS), V > 15.3 at 28.2 minutes (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of less than 114 μJy at 110 days (with the Very Large Array). Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO 3.5 m and Keck 10 m telescopes reveal this location to be empty of any host galaxy to R > 25.7 and K > 23.3. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a redshift of ∼1.2.

AB - The optical transient of the faint gamma-ray burst GRB 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1 m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hr after the burst. Our photometry gives V= 18.32 ± 0.07, R = 18.14 ± 0.06, B = 18.65 ± 0.23, and R = 18.22 ± 0.05 for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hr after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to fv ∝ v1/3. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than 104 cm-3, the electrons contain more than 20% of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of V > 12.0 at 132 s (with LOTIS), V > 13.4 from 132 to 1029 s (with LOTIS), V > 15.3 at 28.2 minutes (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of less than 114 μJy at 110 days (with the Very Large Array). Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO 3.5 m and Keck 10 m telescopes reveal this location to be empty of any host galaxy to R > 25.7 and K > 23.3. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a redshift of ∼1.2.

KW - Gamma rays: bursts

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033589179&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033589179&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/312318

DO - 10.1086/312318

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0033589179

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 524

SP - L103-L106

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 PART 2

ER -

Discovery of the optical transient of GRB 990308

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