An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation

S. D. Barthelmy; G. Chincarini; D. N. Burrows; N. Gehrels; S. Covino; A. Moretti; P. Romano; P. T. O'Brien; C. L. Sarazin; C. Kouveliotou; M. Goad; S. Vaughan; G. Tagliaferri; B. Zhang; L. A. Antonelli; S. Campana; J. R. Cummings; P. D'Avanzo; M. B. Davies; P. Giommi; D. Grupe; Y. Kaneko; J. A. Kennea; A. King; S. Kobayashi; A. Melandri; P. Meszaros; J. A. Nousek; S. Patel; T. Sakamoto; R. A.M.J. Wijers

doi:10.1038/nature04392

An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation

S. D. Barthelmy, G. Chincarini, D. N. Burrows, N. Gehrels, S. Covino, A. Moretti, P. Romano, P. T. O'Brien, C. L. Sarazin, C. Kouveliotou, M. Goad, S. Vaughan, G. Tagliaferri, B. Zhang, L. A. Antonelli, S. Campana, J. R. Cummings, P. D'Avanzo, M. B. Davies, P. GiommiD. Grupe, Y. Kaneko, J. A. Kennea, A. King, S. Kobayashi, A. Melandri, P. Meszaros, J. A. Nousek, S. Patel, T. Sakamoto, R. A.M.J. Wijers

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Abstract

Two short (<2 s) γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have recently been localized^1-4 and fading afterglow counterparts detected ^2-4. The combination of these two results left unclear the nature of the host galaxies of the bursts, because one was a star-forming dwarf, while the other was probably an elliptical galaxy. Here we report the X-ray localization of a short burst (GRB 050724) with unusual γ-ray and X-ray properties. The X-ray afterglow lies off the centre of an elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.258 (ref. 5), coincident with the position determined by ground-based optical and radio observations^6-8. The low level of star formation typical for elliptical galaxies makes it unlikely that the burst originated in a supernova explosion. A supernova origin was also ruled out for GRB 050709 (refs 3, 31), even though that burst took place in a galaxy with current star formation. The isotropic energy for the short bursts is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that for the long bursts. Our results therefore suggest that an alternative source of bursts - the coalescence of binary systems of neutron stars or a neutron star-black hole pair - are the progenitors of short bursts.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	994-996
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nature
Volume	438
Issue number	7070
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04392
State	Published - Dec 15 2005

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Barthelmy, S. D., Chincarini, G., Burrows, D. N., Gehrels, N., Covino, S., Moretti, A., Romano, P., O'Brien, P. T., Sarazin, C. L., Kouveliotou, C., Goad, M., Vaughan, S., Tagliaferri, G., Zhang, B., Antonelli, L. A., Campana, S., Cummings, J. R., D'Avanzo, P., Davies, M. B., ... Wijers, R. A. M. J. (2005). An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation. Nature, 438(7070), 994-996. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04392

@article{350673131e8d4bd29796006ad6f59597,

title = "An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation",

abstract = "Two short (<2 s) γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have recently been localized1-4 and fading afterglow counterparts detected 2-4. The combination of these two results left unclear the nature of the host galaxies of the bursts, because one was a star-forming dwarf, while the other was probably an elliptical galaxy. Here we report the X-ray localization of a short burst (GRB 050724) with unusual γ-ray and X-ray properties. The X-ray afterglow lies off the centre of an elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.258 (ref. 5), coincident with the position determined by ground-based optical and radio observations6-8. The low level of star formation typical for elliptical galaxies makes it unlikely that the burst originated in a supernova explosion. A supernova origin was also ruled out for GRB 050709 (refs 3, 31), even though that burst took place in a galaxy with current star formation. The isotropic energy for the short bursts is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that for the long bursts. Our results therefore suggest that an alternative source of bursts - the coalescence of binary systems of neutron stars or a neutron star-black hole pair - are the progenitors of short bursts.",

author = "Barthelmy, {S. D.} and G. Chincarini and Burrows, {D. N.} and N. Gehrels and S. Covino and A. Moretti and P. Romano and O'Brien, {P. T.} and Sarazin, {C. L.} and C. Kouveliotou and M. Goad and S. Vaughan and G. Tagliaferri and B. Zhang and Antonelli, {L. A.} and S. Campana and Cummings, {J. R.} and P. D'Avanzo and Davies, {M. B.} and P. Giommi and D. Grupe and Y. Kaneko and Kennea, {J. A.} and A. King and S. Kobayashi and A. Melandri and P. Meszaros and Nousek, {J. A.} and S. Patel and T. Sakamoto and Wijers, {R. A.M.J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements We acknowledge support from ASI, NASA and PPARC, and acknowledge benefits from collaboration within the EU FP5 Research Training Network {\textquoteleft}g-Ray Bursts: An Enigma and a Tool{\textquoteright}.",

year = "2005",

month = dec,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1038/nature04392",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "438",

pages = "994--996",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "7070",

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Barthelmy, SD, Chincarini, G, Burrows, DN, Gehrels, N, Covino, S, Moretti, A, Romano, P, O'Brien, PT, Sarazin, CL, Kouveliotou, C, Goad, M, Vaughan, S, Tagliaferri, G, Zhang, B, Antonelli, LA, Campana, S, Cummings, JR, D'Avanzo, P, Davies, MB, Giommi, P, Grupe, D, Kaneko, Y, Kennea, JA, King, A, Kobayashi, S, Melandri, A, Meszaros, P, Nousek, JA, Patel, S, Sakamoto, T & Wijers, RAMJ 2005, 'An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation', Nature, vol. 438, no. 7070, pp. 994-996. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04392

TY - JOUR

T1 - An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation

AU - Barthelmy, S. D.

AU - Chincarini, G.

AU - Burrows, D. N.

AU - Gehrels, N.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - Moretti, A.

AU - Romano, P.

AU - O'Brien, P. T.

AU - Sarazin, C. L.

AU - Kouveliotou, C.

AU - Goad, M.

AU - Vaughan, S.

AU - Tagliaferri, G.

AU - Zhang, B.

AU - Antonelli, L. A.

AU - Campana, S.

AU - Cummings, J. R.

AU - D'Avanzo, P.

AU - Davies, M. B.

AU - Giommi, P.

AU - Grupe, D.

AU - Kaneko, Y.

AU - Kennea, J. A.

AU - King, A.

AU - Kobayashi, S.

AU - Melandri, A.

AU - Meszaros, P.

AU - Nousek, J. A.

AU - Patel, S.

AU - Sakamoto, T.

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

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements We acknowledge support from ASI, NASA and PPARC, and acknowledge benefits from collaboration within the EU FP5 Research Training Network ‘g-Ray Bursts: An Enigma and a Tool’.

PY - 2005/12/15

Y1 - 2005/12/15

N2 - Two short (<2 s) γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have recently been localized1-4 and fading afterglow counterparts detected 2-4. The combination of these two results left unclear the nature of the host galaxies of the bursts, because one was a star-forming dwarf, while the other was probably an elliptical galaxy. Here we report the X-ray localization of a short burst (GRB 050724) with unusual γ-ray and X-ray properties. The X-ray afterglow lies off the centre of an elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.258 (ref. 5), coincident with the position determined by ground-based optical and radio observations6-8. The low level of star formation typical for elliptical galaxies makes it unlikely that the burst originated in a supernova explosion. A supernova origin was also ruled out for GRB 050709 (refs 3, 31), even though that burst took place in a galaxy with current star formation. The isotropic energy for the short bursts is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that for the long bursts. Our results therefore suggest that an alternative source of bursts - the coalescence of binary systems of neutron stars or a neutron star-black hole pair - are the progenitors of short bursts.

AB - Two short (<2 s) γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have recently been localized1-4 and fading afterglow counterparts detected 2-4. The combination of these two results left unclear the nature of the host galaxies of the bursts, because one was a star-forming dwarf, while the other was probably an elliptical galaxy. Here we report the X-ray localization of a short burst (GRB 050724) with unusual γ-ray and X-ray properties. The X-ray afterglow lies off the centre of an elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.258 (ref. 5), coincident with the position determined by ground-based optical and radio observations6-8. The low level of star formation typical for elliptical galaxies makes it unlikely that the burst originated in a supernova explosion. A supernova origin was also ruled out for GRB 050709 (refs 3, 31), even though that burst took place in a galaxy with current star formation. The isotropic energy for the short bursts is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that for the long bursts. Our results therefore suggest that an alternative source of bursts - the coalescence of binary systems of neutron stars or a neutron star-black hole pair - are the progenitors of short bursts.

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U2 - 10.1038/nature04392

DO - 10.1038/nature04392

M3 - Article

C2 - 16355219

AN - SCOPUS:30744479179

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 438

SP - 994

EP - 996

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7070

ER -

An origin for short γ-ray bursts unassociated with current star formation

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