Gamma-Ray Bursts

Non-dissipative Photospheres in GRBs: Spectral Appearance in the Fermi/GBM Catalogue

A large fraction of gamma-ray burst (GRB) spectra are very hard below the peak. Indeed, the observed distribution of sub-peak power-law indices, α, has been used as an argument for a photospheric origin of GRB spectra. Here, we investigate what …

On the α-Intensity Correlation in GRBs: Subphotospheric Heating With Varying Entropy

The emission mechanism during the prompt phase in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can be investigated through correlations between spectral properties. Here, we revisit the correlation relating the instantaneous flux, F, and the photon index below the …

Bayesian Analysis on the X-Ray Spectra of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817

For the first time, we present a Bayesian time-resolved spectral study of the X-ray afterglow datasets of GW170817/GRB17017A observed by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. These include all 12 public datasets, from the earliest observation taken at t ∼ 9 …

Awakening the BALROG: BAyesian Location Reconstruction of GRBs

The accurate spatial location of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is crucial for both accurately characterizing their spectra and follow-up observations by other instruments. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has the largest field of view for detecting …

On the Fermi GBM Event 0.4 Sec After GW 150914

In view of the recent report by Connaughton et al., we analyze continuous time-tagged event (TTE) data of Fermi-gamma-ray burst monitor (GBM) around the time of the gravitational-wave event GW 150914. We find that after proper accounting for …

The Fermi GBM Gamma Ray Burst Time Resolved Spectral Catalog: Brightest Bursts in the First Four Years

We aim to obtain high-quality time-resolved spectral fits of gamma-ray bursts observed by the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. We performed time-resolved spectral analysis with high temporal and spectral …

The Sharpness of Gamma Ray Burst Prompt Emission Spectra

We study the sharpness of the time-resolved prompt emission spectra of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed by the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. We aim to obtain a measure of the curvature of time-resolved …

Taking the Band Function Too Far: a Tale of Two α's

The long standing problem of identifying the emission mechanism operating in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has produced a myriad of possible models that have the potential of explaining the observations. Generally, the empirical Band function is fit to the …

Synchrotron Cooling in Energetic Gamma Ray Bursts Observed by the Fermi GBM

We study the time-resolved spectral properties of energetic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with good high-energy photon statistics observed by the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) onboard the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. We aim to constrain in detail the …

GROND Coverage of the Main Peak of Gamma-Ray Burst 130925A

Prompt or early optical emission in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is notoriously difficult to measure, and observations of the dozen cases show a large variety of properties. Yet, such early emission promises to help us achieve a better understanding of …