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GRB 081029: A Gamma-Ray Burst with a Multi-Component AfterglowWe present an analysis of the unusual optical light curve of the gamma-ray burst GRB 081029, a long-soft burst with a redshift of z = 3.8479. We combine X-ray and optical observations from the Swift X-Ray Telescope and the Swift UltraViolet Optical Telescope with ground-based optical and infrared data obtained using the REM and ROTSE telescopes to construct a detailed data set extending from 86 s to approx. 100000 s after the BAT trigger. Our data cover a wide energy range, from 10 keV to 0.77 eV (1.24 A to 16000 A). The X-ray afterglow shows a shallow initial decay followed by a rapid decay starting at about 18000 s. The optical and infrared afterglow, however, shows an uncharacteristic rise at about 5000 s that does not correspond to any feature in the X-ray light curve. Our data are not consistent with synchrotron radiation from a jet interacting with an external medium, a two-component jet, or continuous energy injection from the central engine. We find that the the optical light curves can be broadly explained by a collision between two ejecta shells within a two-component jet. A growing number of gamma-ray burst afterglows are consistent with complex jets, which suggests that some (or all) gamma-ray burst jets are complex and will require detailed modelling to fully understand them.
Document ID
20110011904
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Holland, Stephen T. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
DePasquale, Massimiliano (University Coll. London, United Kingdom)
Mao, Jirong (Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
Sakamoto, Taka (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Shady, Patricia (Max-Planck-Inst. fuer Extraterrestrische Physik Garching, Germany)
Covino, Stefano (Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
Yi-Zhong, Fan (Purple Mountain Observatory Nanjing, China)
Zhi-Ping, Jin (Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
D'Avanzo, Paolo (Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
Antonelli, Angelo (Osservatorio Astronomico Rome, Italy)
D'Elia, Valerio (Osservatorio Astronomico Rome, Italy)
Chincarini, Guido (Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
Fiore, Fabrizio (Osservatorio Astronomico Rome, Italy)
Pandey, Shashi Bhushan (Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
April 25, 2011
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.4297.2011
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: PHY-0801007
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06E090A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08AV63G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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