Infrared/optical - X-ray simultaneous observations of X-ray flares in GRB 071112C and GRB 080506
Abstract
Aims: We investigate the origin of short X-ray flares which are occasionally observed in early stages of afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).
Methods: We observed two Swift events, GRB 071112C and GRB 080506, before the start of X-ray flares in the optical and near-infrared (NIR) bands with the 1.5-m Kanata telescope. In conjunction with published X-ray and optical data, we analyzed densely sampled light curves of the early afterglows and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the NIR-X-ray ranges.
Results: We found that the SEDs had a break between the optical and X-ray bands in the normal decay phases of both GRBs regardless of the model for the correction of the interstellar extinction in host galaxies of GRBs. In the X-ray flares, X-ray flux increased by 3 and 15 times in the case of GRB 071112C and 080506, respectively, and the X-ray spectra became harder than those in the normal decay phases. No significant variation in the optical-NIR range was detected together with the X-ray flares.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the X-ray flares were associated with either late internal shocks or external shocks from two-component jets.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- September 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201014272
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1006.0785
- Bibcode:
- 2010A&A...519A..56U
- Keywords:
-
- gamma-ray burst: individual: GRB 071112C;
- gamma-ray burst: individual: GRB 080506;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysics