GRB 050904: The oldest cosmic explosion ever observed in the Universe

  • G. Cusumano
  • , V. Mangano
  • , G. Chincarini
  • , A. Panaitescu
  • , D. N. Burrows
  • , V. La Parola
  • , T. Sakamoto
  • , S. Campana
  • , T. Mineo
  • , G. Tagliaferri
  • , L. Angelini
  • , S. D. Barthelemy
  • , A. P. Beardmore
  • , P. T. Boyd
  • , L. R. Cominsky
  • , C. Gronwall
  • , E. E. Fenimore
  • , N. Gehrels
  • , P. Giommi
  • , M. Goad
  • K. Hurley, J. A. Kennea, K. O. Mason, F. Marshall, P. Mèszàros, J. A. Nousek, J. P. Osborne, D. M. Palmer, P. W.A. Roming, A. Wells, N. E. White, B. Zhang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Swift discovered the high redshift (z=6.29) GRB 050904 with the Burst Alert Telescope and began observing with its narrow field instruments only 161 s after the burst onset. GRB 050904 was a long, multi-peaked, bright GRB with a presence of flaring activity lasting up to 1-2 hours after the burst onset. The spectral energy distribution shows a clear softening trend along the burst evolution with a photon index decreasing from -1.2 up to -1.9. The observed variability is more dramatic than the typical Swift afterglow, the amplitude and rise/fall times of the flares are consistent with the behavior of nearby (z ≤ 1) long GRBs and suggest the interpretation of the BAT and XRT data as a single continuous observation of long lasting prompt emission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationGAMMA-RAY BURSTS IN THE SWIFT ERA
Subtitle of host publicationSixteenth Maryland Astrophysics Conference
Pages564-569
Number of pages6
DOIs
StatePublished - May 19 2006
EventGAMMA-RAY BURSTS IN THE SWIFT ERA: 16th Maryland Astrophysics Conference - Washington, D.C., United States
Duration: Nov 29 2005Dec 2 2005

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume836
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Other

OtherGAMMA-RAY BURSTS IN THE SWIFT ERA: 16th Maryland Astrophysics Conference
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityWashington, D.C.
Period11/29/0512/2/05

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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