The afterglow of GRB 010222: A case of continuous energy injection

G. Björnsson; J. Hjorth; K. Pedersen; J. U. Fynbo

doi:10.1086/345292

The afterglow of GRB 010222: A case of continuous energy injection

G. Björnsson
, J. Hjorth
, K. Pedersen
, J. U. Fynbo

Science Institute

University of Iceland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The optical light curve of GRB 010222 exhibited one of the slowest decays of any gamma-ray burst to date. Its broadband properties have been difficult to explain with conventional afterglow models, as they require either the power-law index of the underlying electron energy distribution to be low, p < 2, or the outflow to be quasi-spherical, thus reviving the energy problem. We argue that the slow decay of GRB 010222 and a linear polarization of 1.36% ± 0.64% are naturally explained by a jet model with continuous energy injection. The electron energy distribution then has p = 2.49 ± 0.05, fully consistent with the expectation from detailed modeling of acceleration in relativistic shocks that p > 2, thus alleviating the "p-problem".

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L59-L62
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	579
Issue number	2 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/345292
Publication status	Published - 10 Nov 2002

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: This research was supported in part by a special grant from the Icelandic Research Council, the University of Iceland Research Fund, and the Danish Natural Science Research Council (SNF). We thank Davide Lazzati for constructive comments on an early version of the manuscript. We acknowledge the First Niels Bohr Summer Institute for hospitality during the completion of this work. G. B. thanks Einar H. Gudmundsson for a number of helpful discussions.

Other keywords

Gamma rays: bursts
Polarization

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title = "The afterglow of GRB 010222: A case of continuous energy injection",

abstract = "The optical light curve of GRB 010222 exhibited one of the slowest decays of any gamma-ray burst to date. Its broadband properties have been difficult to explain with conventional afterglow models, as they require either the power-law index of the underlying electron energy distribution to be low, p < 2, or the outflow to be quasi-spherical, thus reviving the energy problem. We argue that the slow decay of GRB 010222 and a linear polarization of 1.36\% ± 0.64\% are naturally explained by a jet model with continuous energy injection. The electron energy distribution then has p = 2.49 ± 0.05, fully consistent with the expectation from detailed modeling of acceleration in relativistic shocks that p > 2, thus alleviating the {"}p-problem{"}.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: bursts, Polarization",

author = "G. Bj{\"o}rnsson and J. Hjorth and K. Pedersen and Fynbo, \{J. U.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported in part by a special grant from the Icelandic Research Council, the University of Iceland Research Fund, and the Danish Natural Science Research Council (SNF). We thank Davide Lazzati for constructive comments on an early version of the manuscript. We acknowledge the First Niels Bohr Summer Institute for hospitality during the completion of this work. G. B. thanks Einar H. Gudmundsson for a number of helpful discussions.",

year = "2002",

month = nov,

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doi = "10.1086/345292",

language = "English",

volume = "579",

pages = "L59--L62",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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T1 - The afterglow of GRB 010222

T2 - A case of continuous energy injection

AU - Björnsson, G.

AU - Hjorth, J.

AU - Pedersen, K.

AU - Fynbo, J. U.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported in part by a special grant from the Icelandic Research Council, the University of Iceland Research Fund, and the Danish Natural Science Research Council (SNF). We thank Davide Lazzati for constructive comments on an early version of the manuscript. We acknowledge the First Niels Bohr Summer Institute for hospitality during the completion of this work. G. B. thanks Einar H. Gudmundsson for a number of helpful discussions.

PY - 2002/11/10

Y1 - 2002/11/10

N2 - The optical light curve of GRB 010222 exhibited one of the slowest decays of any gamma-ray burst to date. Its broadband properties have been difficult to explain with conventional afterglow models, as they require either the power-law index of the underlying electron energy distribution to be low, p < 2, or the outflow to be quasi-spherical, thus reviving the energy problem. We argue that the slow decay of GRB 010222 and a linear polarization of 1.36% ± 0.64% are naturally explained by a jet model with continuous energy injection. The electron energy distribution then has p = 2.49 ± 0.05, fully consistent with the expectation from detailed modeling of acceleration in relativistic shocks that p > 2, thus alleviating the "p-problem".

AB - The optical light curve of GRB 010222 exhibited one of the slowest decays of any gamma-ray burst to date. Its broadband properties have been difficult to explain with conventional afterglow models, as they require either the power-law index of the underlying electron energy distribution to be low, p < 2, or the outflow to be quasi-spherical, thus reviving the energy problem. We argue that the slow decay of GRB 010222 and a linear polarization of 1.36% ± 0.64% are naturally explained by a jet model with continuous energy injection. The electron energy distribution then has p = 2.49 ± 0.05, fully consistent with the expectation from detailed modeling of acceleration in relativistic shocks that p > 2, thus alleviating the "p-problem".

KW - Gamma rays: bursts

KW - Polarization

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0038142421

U2 - 10.1086/345292

DO - 10.1086/345292

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 579

SP - L59-L62

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 II

ER -

The afterglow of GRB 010222: A case of continuous energy injection

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Other keywords

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