Optical Spectropolarimetry of the GRB 020813 Afterglow

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBarth, A.
dc.contributor.authorSari, R
dc.contributor.authorCohen, Marvin L.
dc.contributor.authorGoodrich, R.
dc.contributor.authorPrice, Paul
dc.contributor.authorFox, Derek B
dc.contributor.authorBloom, J S
dc.contributor.authorSoderberg, A M
dc.contributor.authorKulkarni, Shrinivas R
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-13T23:12:25Z
dc.date.available2015-12-13T23:12:25Z
dc.date.issued2003
dc.date.updated2015-12-12T08:31:30Z
dc.description.abstractThe optical afterglow of gamma-ray burst GRB 020813 was observed for 3 hr with the LRIS spectropolarimeter at the Keck I telescope, beginning 4.7 hr after the burst was detected by the HETE-2. The spectrum reveals numerous metal absorption lines that we identify with two systems at z = 1.223 and z = 1.255. We also detect an [O II] λ3727 emission line at z = 1.255, and we identify this galaxy as the likely host of the GRB. After a correction for Galactic interstellar polarization, the optical afterglow has a linear polarization of 1.8%-2.4% during 4.7-7.9 hr after the burst. A measurement of p = 0.80% ± 0.16% on the following night by Covino et al. demonstrates significant polarization variability over the next 14 hr. The lack of strong variability in the position angle of linear polarization indicates that the magnetic field in the jet is likely to be globally ordered rather than composed of a number of randomly oriented cells. Within the framework of afterglow models with collimated flows, the relatively low observed polarization suggests that the magnetic field components perpendicular and parallel to the shock front are only different by about 20%.
dc.identifier.issn0004-637X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/88048
dc.publisherIOP Publishing
dc.sourceAstrophysical Journal, The
dc.subjectKeywords: Gamma rays: bursts; Polarization
dc.titleOptical Spectropolarimetry of the GRB 020813 Afterglow
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpageL51
local.bibliographicCitation.startpageL47
local.contributor.affiliationBarth, A., California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.affiliationSari, R, California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.affiliationCohen, Marvin L., University of California
local.contributor.affiliationGoodrich, R., W M Koch Observatory
local.contributor.affiliationPrice, Paul, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationFox, Derek B, California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.affiliationBloom, J S, California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.affiliationSoderberg, A M, California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.affiliationKulkarni, Shrinivas R, California Institute of Technology
local.contributor.authoremailrepository.admin@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidPrice, Paul, u9718406
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.description.refereedYes
local.identifier.absfor020110 - Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems
local.identifier.ariespublicationMigratedxPub17559
local.identifier.citationvolume584
local.identifier.doi10.1086/373889
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-0037796789
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByMigrated
local.type.statusPublished Version

Downloads

Collections

ANU Research Publications

DSpace software copyright © 2002-2024 LYRASIS