0000000000807252
AUTHOR
Patricia Schady
Swift Observations of GRB 070110: An Extraordinary X-Ray Afterglow Powered by the Central Engine
We present a detailed analysis of Swift multi-wavelength observations of GRB 070110 and its remarkable afterglow. The early X-ray light curve, interpreted as the tail of the prompt emission, displays a spectral evolution already seen in other gamma-ray bursts. The optical afterglow shows a shallow decay up to ~2 d after the burst, which is not consistent with standard afterglow models. The most intriguing feature is a very steep decay in the X-ray flux at ~20 ks after the burst, ending an apparent plateau. The abrupt drop of the X-ray light curve rules out an external shock as the origin of the plateau in this burst and implies long-lasting activity of the central engine. The temporal and s…
The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances
THESEUS is a space mission concept aimed at exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts for investigating the early Universe and at providing a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB and X-ray transient detection over a broad field of view (more than 1sr) with 0.5¿1 arcmin localization, an energy band extending from several MeV down to 0.3¿keV and high sensitivity to transient sources in the soft X-ray domain, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.7¿m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. THESEUS will be perfectly suited for addressing …
GRB 061121: Broadband Spectral Evolution through the Prompt and Afterglow Phases of a Bright Burst
Swift triggered on a precursor to the main burst of GRB 061121 (z=1.314), allowing observations to be made from the optical to gamma-ray bands. Many other telescopes, including Konus-Wind, XMM-Newton, ROTSE and the Faulkes Telescope North, also observed the burst. The gamma-ray, X-ray and UV/optical emission all showed a peak ~75s after the trigger, although the optical and X-ray afterglow components also appear early on - before, or during, the main peak. Spectral evolution was seen throughout the burst, with the prompt emission showing a clear positive correlation between brightness and hardness. The Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of the prompt emission, stretching from 1eV up to 1MeV…