Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow

M. C. Nysewander; D. E. Reichart; H. S. Park; G. G. Williams; K. Kinugasa; D. Q. Lamb; A. A. Henden; S. Klose; T. Kato; A. Harper; H. Yamaoka; C. Laws; K. Torii; D. G. York; J. C. Barentine; J. Dembicky; R. J. Mcmillan; J. A. Moran; D. H. Hartmann; B. Ketzeback; M. B. Bayliss; J. W. Bartelme; J. A. Crain; A. C. Foster; M. Schwartz; P. Holvorcem; P. A. Price; R. Canterna; G. B. Crew; G. R. Ricker; S. D. Barthelmy

doi:10.1086/506980

Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow

M. C. Nysewander, D. E. Reichart, H. S. Park, G. G. Williams, K. Kinugasa, D. Q. Lamb, A. A. Henden, S. Klose, T. Kato, A. Harper, H. Yamaoka, C. Laws, K. Torii, D. G. York, J. C. Barentine, J. Dembicky, R. J. Mcmillan, J. A. Moran, D. H. Hartmann, B. KetzebackM. B. Bayliss, J. W. Bartelme, J. A. Crain, A. C. Foster, M. Schwartz, P. Holvorcem, P. A. Price, R. Canterna, G. B. Crew, G. R. Ricker, S. D. Barthelmy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present Follow-Up Network for Gamma-Ray Bursts (FUN GRB) Collaboration observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021211 made between 143 s and 102 days after the burst. Our unique data set includes the earliest filtered detections and color information for an afterglow in the pre-Swift era. We find that the afterglow is best described by (1) a propagation through a wind-swept medium, (2) a cooling break that is blueward of the observed optical frequencies, and (3) a hard electron energy distribution. However, superimposed on this "standard model" behavior we find, one and possibly two, significant chromatic variations during the first few hours after the burst. We consider possible reasons for these variations, including the possibility that they are due to a dust echo. Finally, we constrain physical parameters that describe the afterglow and the surrounding medium for a variety of scenarios and find that GRB 021211's afterglow is faint for a combination of reasons: (1) a low fraction of energy in relativistic electrons, (2) a low density for the wind-swept medium, implying either a low mass-loss rate and/or a high wind velocity for the progenitor, (3) a wide opening/viewing angle for the jet, and possibly (4) moderate source-frame extinction. The jet appears to be significantly far from equipartition and magnetically dominated. More extreme versions of this might explain the darkness of many afterglows in the Swift era.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	994-1004
Number of pages	11
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	651
Issue number	2 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/506980
State	Published - Nov 10 2006
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Dust, extinction
Gamma rays: bursts
Magnetic fields
Scattering
Stars: Wolf-Rayet
Stars: winds, outflows

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/506980

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Nysewander, M. C., Reichart, D. E., Park, H. S., Williams, G. G., Kinugasa, K., Lamb, D. Q., Henden, A. A., Klose, S., Kato, T., Harper, A., Yamaoka, H., Laws, C., Torii, K., York, D. G., Barentine, J. C., Dembicky, J., Mcmillan, R. J., Moran, J. A., Hartmann, D. H., ... Barthelmy, S. D. (2006). Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow. Astrophysical Journal, 651(2 I), 994-1004. https://doi.org/10.1086/506980

Nysewander, MC, Reichart, DE, Park, HS, Williams, GG, Kinugasa, K, Lamb, DQ, Henden, AA, Klose, S, Kato, T, Harper, A, Yamaoka, H, Laws, C, Torii, K, York, DG, Barentine, JC, Dembicky, J, Mcmillan, RJ, Moran, JA, Hartmann, DH, Ketzeback, B, Bayliss, MB, Bartelme, JW, Crain, JA, Foster, AC, Schwartz, M, Holvorcem, P, Price, PA, Canterna, R, Crew, GB, Ricker, GR & Barthelmy, SD 2006, 'Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 651, no. 2 I, pp. 994-1004. https://doi.org/10.1086/506980

@article{25825ff15f9b4bdba14901255545876c,

title = "Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow",

abstract = "We present Follow-Up Network for Gamma-Ray Bursts (FUN GRB) Collaboration observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021211 made between 143 s and 102 days after the burst. Our unique data set includes the earliest filtered detections and color information for an afterglow in the pre-Swift era. We find that the afterglow is best described by (1) a propagation through a wind-swept medium, (2) a cooling break that is blueward of the observed optical frequencies, and (3) a hard electron energy distribution. However, superimposed on this {"}standard model{"} behavior we find, one and possibly two, significant chromatic variations during the first few hours after the burst. We consider possible reasons for these variations, including the possibility that they are due to a dust echo. Finally, we constrain physical parameters that describe the afterglow and the surrounding medium for a variety of scenarios and find that GRB 021211's afterglow is faint for a combination of reasons: (1) a low fraction of energy in relativistic electrons, (2) a low density for the wind-swept medium, implying either a low mass-loss rate and/or a high wind velocity for the progenitor, (3) a wide opening/viewing angle for the jet, and possibly (4) moderate source-frame extinction. The jet appears to be significantly far from equipartition and magnetically dominated. More extreme versions of this might explain the darkness of many afterglows in the Swift era.",

keywords = "Dust, extinction, Gamma rays: bursts, Magnetic fields, Scattering, Stars: Wolf-Rayet, Stars: winds, outflows",

author = "Nysewander, {M. C.} and Reichart, {D. E.} and Park, {H. S.} and Williams, {G. G.} and K. Kinugasa and Lamb, {D. Q.} and Henden, {A. A.} and S. Klose and T. Kato and A. Harper and H. Yamaoka and C. Laws and K. Torii and York, {D. G.} and Barentine, {J. C.} and J. Dembicky and Mcmillan, {R. J.} and Moran, {J. A.} and Hartmann, {D. H.} and B. Ketzeback and Bayliss, {M. B.} and Bartelme, {J. W.} and Crain, {J. A.} and Foster, {A. C.} and M. Schwartz and P. Holvorcem and Price, {P. A.} and R. Canterna and Crew, {G. B.} and Ricker, {G. R.} and Barthelmy, {S. D.}",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/506980",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "651",

pages = "994--1004",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

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T1 - Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow

AU - Nysewander, M. C.

AU - Reichart, D. E.

AU - Park, H. S.

AU - Williams, G. G.

AU - Kinugasa, K.

AU - Lamb, D. Q.

AU - Henden, A. A.

AU - Klose, S.

AU - Kato, T.

AU - Harper, A.

AU - Yamaoka, H.

AU - Laws, C.

AU - Torii, K.

AU - York, D. G.

AU - Barentine, J. C.

AU - Dembicky, J.

AU - Mcmillan, R. J.

AU - Moran, J. A.

AU - Hartmann, D. H.

AU - Ketzeback, B.

AU - Bayliss, M. B.

AU - Bartelme, J. W.

AU - Crain, J. A.

AU - Foster, A. C.

AU - Schwartz, M.

AU - Holvorcem, P.

AU - Price, P. A.

AU - Canterna, R.

AU - Crew, G. B.

AU - Ricker, G. R.

AU - Barthelmy, S. D.

PY - 2006/11/10

Y1 - 2006/11/10

N2 - We present Follow-Up Network for Gamma-Ray Bursts (FUN GRB) Collaboration observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021211 made between 143 s and 102 days after the burst. Our unique data set includes the earliest filtered detections and color information for an afterglow in the pre-Swift era. We find that the afterglow is best described by (1) a propagation through a wind-swept medium, (2) a cooling break that is blueward of the observed optical frequencies, and (3) a hard electron energy distribution. However, superimposed on this "standard model" behavior we find, one and possibly two, significant chromatic variations during the first few hours after the burst. We consider possible reasons for these variations, including the possibility that they are due to a dust echo. Finally, we constrain physical parameters that describe the afterglow and the surrounding medium for a variety of scenarios and find that GRB 021211's afterglow is faint for a combination of reasons: (1) a low fraction of energy in relativistic electrons, (2) a low density for the wind-swept medium, implying either a low mass-loss rate and/or a high wind velocity for the progenitor, (3) a wide opening/viewing angle for the jet, and possibly (4) moderate source-frame extinction. The jet appears to be significantly far from equipartition and magnetically dominated. More extreme versions of this might explain the darkness of many afterglows in the Swift era.

AB - We present Follow-Up Network for Gamma-Ray Bursts (FUN GRB) Collaboration observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021211 made between 143 s and 102 days after the burst. Our unique data set includes the earliest filtered detections and color information for an afterglow in the pre-Swift era. We find that the afterglow is best described by (1) a propagation through a wind-swept medium, (2) a cooling break that is blueward of the observed optical frequencies, and (3) a hard electron energy distribution. However, superimposed on this "standard model" behavior we find, one and possibly two, significant chromatic variations during the first few hours after the burst. We consider possible reasons for these variations, including the possibility that they are due to a dust echo. Finally, we constrain physical parameters that describe the afterglow and the surrounding medium for a variety of scenarios and find that GRB 021211's afterglow is faint for a combination of reasons: (1) a low fraction of energy in relativistic electrons, (2) a low density for the wind-swept medium, implying either a low mass-loss rate and/or a high wind velocity for the progenitor, (3) a wide opening/viewing angle for the jet, and possibly (4) moderate source-frame extinction. The jet appears to be significantly far from equipartition and magnetically dominated. More extreme versions of this might explain the darkness of many afterglows in the Swift era.

KW - Dust, extinction

KW - Gamma rays: bursts

KW - Magnetic fields

KW - Scattering

KW - Stars: Wolf-Rayet

KW - Stars: winds, outflows

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U2 - 10.1086/506980

DO - 10.1086/506980

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33845740175

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 651

SP - 994

EP - 1004

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 I

ER -

Early time chromatic variations in the wind-swept medium of GRB 021211 and the faintness of its afterglow

Abstract

Keywords

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