Search for a correlation of gamma-ray bursts with quasars and active galactic nuclei

The localizations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) from WATCH/GRANAT, WATCH/EURECA, the Interplanetary Network, and BATSE/COMPTON (a total of 327 bursts) are used to search for an angular correlation of GRBs with quasars, BL Lac objects, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). A statistically significant correlation of GRBs with bright AGNs at 0.1 < z < 0.32 has been found. Bright GRBs are considered; if their sources lie at such distances, then the sources of the weakest BATSE bursts are at z ~= 1. The possibility that GRBs are physically associated with bright AGNs is discussed.