Optical follow-up of GRB 970508

T. J. Galama; P. J. Groot; J. Van Paradijs; C. Kouveliotou; R. G. Strom; R. A.M.J. Wijers; N. Tanvir; J. Bloom; M. Centurion; J. Telting; R. G.M. Rutten; P. Smith; C. Mackey; S. Smartt; C. Benn; J. Heise; J. In'T Zand

doi:10.1086/311268

Optical follow-up of GRB 970508

T. J. Galama
, P. J. Groot
, J. Van Paradijs
, C. Kouveliotou
, R. G. Strom
, R. A.M.J. Wijers
, N. Tanvir
, J. Bloom
, M. Centurion
, J. Telting
, R. G.M. Rutten
, P. Smith
, C. Mackey
, S. Smartt
, C. Benn
, J. Heise
, J. In'T Zand

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

66 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on the results of optical follow-up observations of the counterpart of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508, starting 7 hr after the event. Multicolor U-, B-, V-, R_c-, and I_c-band observations were obtained during the first three consecutive nights. The counterpart was monitored regularly in R_c until ∼4 months after the burst. The light curve after the maximum follows a decline that can be fitted with a power law with exponent a = - 1.141 ± 0.014. Deviations from a smooth power-law decay are moderate (rms = 0.15 mag). We find no flattening of the light curve at late times. The optical afterglow fluence is a significant fraction, ∼5%, of the GRB fluence. The optical energy distribution can be well represented by a power law, the slope of which changed at the time of the maximum (the spectrum became redder).

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L13-L16
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	497
Issue number	1 PART II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/311268
State	Published - 1998
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Bursts
Gamma rays

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/311268

Cite this

@article{ad7b752accf349dd9abe97a434602dc0,

title = "Optical follow-up of GRB 970508",

abstract = "We report on the results of optical follow-up observations of the counterpart of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508, starting 7 hr after the event. Multicolor U-, B-, V-, Rc-, and Ic-band observations were obtained during the first three consecutive nights. The counterpart was monitored regularly in Rc until ∼4 months after the burst. The light curve after the maximum follows a decline that can be fitted with a power law with exponent a = - 1.141 ± 0.014. Deviations from a smooth power-law decay are moderate (rms = 0.15 mag). We find no flattening of the light curve at late times. The optical afterglow fluence is a significant fraction, ∼5\%, of the GRB fluence. The optical energy distribution can be well represented by a power law, the slope of which changed at the time of the maximum (the spectrum became redder).",

keywords = "Bursts, Gamma rays",

author = "Galama, \{T. J.\} and Groot, \{P. J.\} and \{Van Paradijs\}, J. and C. Kouveliotou and Strom, \{R. G.\} and Wijers, \{R. A.M.J.\} and N. Tanvir and J. Bloom and M. Centurion and J. Telting and Rutten, \{R. G.M.\} and P. Smith and C. Mackey and S. Smartt and C. Benn and J. Heise and \{In'T Zand\}, J.",

note = "Funding Information: The WHT is operated on behalf of the English PPARC and Dutch NFRA at the Spanish observatory Roque de Los Muchachos on La Palma, Spain. The 3.5 m WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The WIYN Observatory is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Indiana University, Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories. T. Galama is sup- ported through a grant by NFRA under contract 781.76.011. C. Kouveliotou acknowledges support from NASA grant NAG 5-2560. We thank the BeppoSAX team for the alert.",

year = "1998",

doi = "10.1086/311268",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "497",

pages = "L13--L16",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1 PART II",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Optical follow-up of GRB 970508

AU - Galama, T. J.

AU - Groot, P. J.

AU - Van Paradijs, J.

AU - Kouveliotou, C.

AU - Strom, R. G.

AU - Wijers, R. A.M.J.

AU - Tanvir, N.

AU - Bloom, J.

AU - Centurion, M.

AU - Telting, J.

AU - Rutten, R. G.M.

AU - Smith, P.

AU - Mackey, C.

AU - Smartt, S.

AU - Benn, C.

AU - Heise, J.

AU - In'T Zand, J.

N1 - Funding Information: The WHT is operated on behalf of the English PPARC and Dutch NFRA at the Spanish observatory Roque de Los Muchachos on La Palma, Spain. The 3.5 m WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The WIYN Observatory is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Indiana University, Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories. T. Galama is sup- ported through a grant by NFRA under contract 781.76.011. C. Kouveliotou acknowledges support from NASA grant NAG 5-2560. We thank the BeppoSAX team for the alert.

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - We report on the results of optical follow-up observations of the counterpart of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508, starting 7 hr after the event. Multicolor U-, B-, V-, Rc-, and Ic-band observations were obtained during the first three consecutive nights. The counterpart was monitored regularly in Rc until ∼4 months after the burst. The light curve after the maximum follows a decline that can be fitted with a power law with exponent a = - 1.141 ± 0.014. Deviations from a smooth power-law decay are moderate (rms = 0.15 mag). We find no flattening of the light curve at late times. The optical afterglow fluence is a significant fraction, ∼5%, of the GRB fluence. The optical energy distribution can be well represented by a power law, the slope of which changed at the time of the maximum (the spectrum became redder).

AB - We report on the results of optical follow-up observations of the counterpart of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508, starting 7 hr after the event. Multicolor U-, B-, V-, Rc-, and Ic-band observations were obtained during the first three consecutive nights. The counterpart was monitored regularly in Rc until ∼4 months after the burst. The light curve after the maximum follows a decline that can be fitted with a power law with exponent a = - 1.141 ± 0.014. Deviations from a smooth power-law decay are moderate (rms = 0.15 mag). We find no flattening of the light curve at late times. The optical afterglow fluence is a significant fraction, ∼5%, of the GRB fluence. The optical energy distribution can be well represented by a power law, the slope of which changed at the time of the maximum (the spectrum became redder).

KW - Bursts

KW - Gamma rays

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0345989534

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0345989534#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1086/311268

DO - 10.1086/311268

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0345989534

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 497

SP - L13-L16

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART II

ER -

Optical follow-up of GRB 970508

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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