GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift

A. De Ugarte Postigo; A. J. Castro-Tirado; S. Guziy; J. Gorosabel; G. Jóhannesson; M. A. Aloy; S. McBreen; D. Q. Lamb; N. Benitez; M. Jelínek; S. B. Pandey; D. Coe; M. D. Pérez-Ramírez; F. J. Aceituno; M. Alises; J. A. Acosta-Pulido; G. Gómez; R. López; T. Q. Donaghy; Y. E. Nakagawa; T. Sakamoto; G. R. Ricker; F. R. Hearty; M. Bayliss; G. Gyuk; D. G. York

doi:10.1086/507868

GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift

A. De Ugarte Postigo, A. J. Castro-Tirado, S. Guziy, J. Gorosabel, G. Jóhannesson, M. A. Aloy, S. McBreen, D. Q. Lamb, N. Benitez, M. Jelínek, S. B. Pandey, D. Coe, M. D. Pérez-Ramírez, F. J. Aceituno, M. Alises, J. A. Acosta-Pulido, G. Gómez, R. López, T. Q. Donaghy, Y. E. NakagawaT. Sakamoto, G. R. Ricker, F. R. Hearty, M. Bayliss, G. Gyuk, D. G. York

Astronomy & Astrophysics

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Abstract

Since the discovery of the first short-population γ-ray burst (GRB) afterglows in 2005, the handful of observed events have been found to be embedded in nearby (z < 1), bright underlying galaxies. We present multiwavelength observations of GRB 060121, the first short burst observed to clearly outshine its host galaxy (by a factor >10²). A photometric redshift for this event places the progenitor at a most probable redshift of z = 4.6, with a less probable scenario of z = 1.7. In either case, GRB 060121 could be the farthermost short-population GRB detected to date and implies an isotropic-equivalent energy release in gamma rays comparable to that seen in long-population bursts. We discuss the implications of the released energy on the nature of the progenitor. These results suggest that GRB 060121 may belong to a family of energetic short-population events, lying at z > 1 and whose optical afterglows would outshine their host galaxies, unlike the first short GRBs observed in 2005. The possibility of GRB 060121 being an intermediate-duration burst is also discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L83-L87
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	648
Issue number	2 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/507868
State	Published - Sep 10 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/507868

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De Ugarte Postigo, A., Castro-Tirado, A. J., Guziy, S., Gorosabel, J., Jóhannesson, G., Aloy, M. A., McBreen, S., Lamb, D. Q., Benitez, N., Jelínek, M., Pandey, S. B., Coe, D., Pérez-Ramírez, M. D., Aceituno, F. J., Alises, M., Acosta-Pulido, J. A., Gómez, G., López, R., Donaghy, T. Q., ... York, D. G. (2006). GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift. Astrophysical Journal, 648(2 II), L83-L87. https://doi.org/10.1086/507868

@article{4f7652fa33a94ad08a9924ea20dfc3bd,

title = "GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift",

abstract = "Since the discovery of the first short-population γ-ray burst (GRB) afterglows in 2005, the handful of observed events have been found to be embedded in nearby (z < 1), bright underlying galaxies. We present multiwavelength observations of GRB 060121, the first short burst observed to clearly outshine its host galaxy (by a factor >102). A photometric redshift for this event places the progenitor at a most probable redshift of z = 4.6, with a less probable scenario of z = 1.7. In either case, GRB 060121 could be the farthermost short-population GRB detected to date and implies an isotropic-equivalent energy release in gamma rays comparable to that seen in long-population bursts. We discuss the implications of the released energy on the nature of the progenitor. These results suggest that GRB 060121 may belong to a family of energetic short-population events, lying at z > 1 and whose optical afterglows would outshine their host galaxies, unlike the first short GRBs observed in 2005. The possibility of GRB 060121 being an intermediate-duration burst is also discussed.",

author = "{De Ugarte Postigo}, A. and Castro-Tirado, {A. J.} and S. Guziy and J. Gorosabel and G. J{\'o}hannesson and Aloy, {M. A.} and S. McBreen and Lamb, {D. Q.} and N. Benitez and M. Jel{\'i}nek and Pandey, {S. B.} and D. Coe and P{\'e}rez-Ram{\'i}rez, {M. D.} and Aceituno, {F. J.} and M. Alises and Acosta-Pulido, {J. A.} and G. G{\'o}mez and R. L{\'o}pez and Donaghy, {T. Q.} and Nakagawa, {Y. E.} and T. Sakamoto and Ricker, {G. R.} and Hearty, {F. R.} and M. Bayliss and G. Gyuk and York, {D. G.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the generous allocation of observing time by the different Time Allocation Committees. We acknowledge the Swift team for making public the XRT data and S. Barthelmy for maintaining the GRB Circular Network that distributes the GRB alerts. This research has been partly supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Technolog{\'i}a under programmes AYA2004-01515 and ESP2002-04124-C03-01 (including FEDER funds). A. d. U. P. acknowledges support from FPU grant AP2002-0446. We also acknowledge fruitful discussions with M. Cervi{\~n}o.",

year = "2006",

month = sep,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/507868",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "648",

pages = "L83--L87",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2 II",

}

De Ugarte Postigo, A, Castro-Tirado, AJ, Guziy, S, Gorosabel, J, Jóhannesson, G, Aloy, MA, McBreen, S, Lamb, DQ, Benitez, N, Jelínek, M, Pandey, SB, Coe, D, Pérez-Ramírez, MD, Aceituno, FJ, Alises, M, Acosta-Pulido, JA, Gómez, G, López, R, Donaghy, TQ, Nakagawa, YE, Sakamoto, T, Ricker, GR, Hearty, FR, Bayliss, M, Gyuk, G & York, DG 2006, 'GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 648, no. 2 II, pp. L83-L87. https://doi.org/10.1086/507868

TY - JOUR

T1 - GRB 060121

T2 - Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift

AU - De Ugarte Postigo, A.

AU - Castro-Tirado, A. J.

AU - Guziy, S.

AU - Gorosabel, J.

AU - Jóhannesson, G.

AU - Aloy, M. A.

AU - McBreen, S.

AU - Lamb, D. Q.

AU - Benitez, N.

AU - Jelínek, M.

AU - Pandey, S. B.

AU - Coe, D.

AU - Pérez-Ramírez, M. D.

AU - Aceituno, F. J.

AU - Alises, M.

AU - Acosta-Pulido, J. A.

AU - Gómez, G.

AU - López, R.

AU - Donaghy, T. Q.

AU - Nakagawa, Y. E.

AU - Sakamoto, T.

AU - Ricker, G. R.

AU - Hearty, F. R.

AU - Bayliss, M.

AU - Gyuk, G.

AU - York, D. G.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the generous allocation of observing time by the different Time Allocation Committees. We acknowledge the Swift team for making public the XRT data and S. Barthelmy for maintaining the GRB Circular Network that distributes the GRB alerts. This research has been partly supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Technología under programmes AYA2004-01515 and ESP2002-04124-C03-01 (including FEDER funds). A. d. U. P. acknowledges support from FPU grant AP2002-0446. We also acknowledge fruitful discussions with M. Cerviño.

PY - 2006/9/10

Y1 - 2006/9/10

N2 - Since the discovery of the first short-population γ-ray burst (GRB) afterglows in 2005, the handful of observed events have been found to be embedded in nearby (z < 1), bright underlying galaxies. We present multiwavelength observations of GRB 060121, the first short burst observed to clearly outshine its host galaxy (by a factor >102). A photometric redshift for this event places the progenitor at a most probable redshift of z = 4.6, with a less probable scenario of z = 1.7. In either case, GRB 060121 could be the farthermost short-population GRB detected to date and implies an isotropic-equivalent energy release in gamma rays comparable to that seen in long-population bursts. We discuss the implications of the released energy on the nature of the progenitor. These results suggest that GRB 060121 may belong to a family of energetic short-population events, lying at z > 1 and whose optical afterglows would outshine their host galaxies, unlike the first short GRBs observed in 2005. The possibility of GRB 060121 being an intermediate-duration burst is also discussed.

AB - Since the discovery of the first short-population γ-ray burst (GRB) afterglows in 2005, the handful of observed events have been found to be embedded in nearby (z < 1), bright underlying galaxies. We present multiwavelength observations of GRB 060121, the first short burst observed to clearly outshine its host galaxy (by a factor >102). A photometric redshift for this event places the progenitor at a most probable redshift of z = 4.6, with a less probable scenario of z = 1.7. In either case, GRB 060121 could be the farthermost short-population GRB detected to date and implies an isotropic-equivalent energy release in gamma rays comparable to that seen in long-population bursts. We discuss the implications of the released energy on the nature of the progenitor. These results suggest that GRB 060121 may belong to a family of energetic short-population events, lying at z > 1 and whose optical afterglows would outshine their host galaxies, unlike the first short GRBs observed in 2005. The possibility of GRB 060121 being an intermediate-duration burst is also discussed.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33750538258&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33750538258&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/507868

DO - 10.1086/507868

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33750538258

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 648

SP - L83-L87

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 II

ER -

GRB 060121: Implications of a short-/intermediate-duration γ-ray burst at high redshift

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