Gamma-ray Burst 051103

(All information courtesy of the instrument teams.)

Previous IAU Circulars

none

Results of Observations

GCN Circular #4197
S. Golenetskii, R.Aptekar, E. Mazets, V. Pal'shin, D. Frederiks, and T. Cline on behalf of the Konus-Wind team,
S. Barthelmy, J. Cummings, N. Gehrels on behalf of the Swift team,
K. Hurley and T. Cline, on behalf of the Ulysses, HETE, Mars Odyssey, and Konus GRB teams,
I. Mitrofanov, A. Kozyrev, M. Litvak, A. Sanin, V. Tret'yakov and A. Parshukov, on behalf of the HEND-Odyssey GRB team,
W. Boynton, C. Fellows, K. Harshman, C. Shinohara and R. Starr, on behalf of the GRS-Odyssey GRB team,
D. M. Smith, R. P. Lin, J. McTiernan, R. Schwartz, C. Wigger, W. Hajdas, and A. Zehnder, on behalf of the RHESSI GRB team,
J-L. Atteia, C. Graziani, and R. Vanderspek on behalf of the HETE team report:
A very bright hard short GRB triggered the Konus-Wind instrument at T0=33943.785 s UT (09:25:43.785) on November 3. It was also observed by HETE-Fregate, Mars Odyssey (GRS and HEND), RHESSI, and Swift-BAT.
We have triangulated this burst to the 3sigma confidence error box:
```
                   RA(2000) Dec(2000) 
----------------------------------------
ERROR BOX CENTER:   148.142 68.845
  
ERROR BOX CORNER 1: 148.563 69.189
ERROR BOX CORNER 2: 147.570 68.115
ERROR BOX CORNER 2: 147.731 68.499
ERROR BOX CORNER 4: 148.738 69.564
---------------------------------------
```
The area of the error box is 120 sq. arcmin.
The error box is consistent with a source in M81.
As observed by Konus-Wind the burst had a duration of 0.17 sec, fluence 2.34(-0.28, +0.31)10^-5 erg/cm2, and peak flux on 2ms time scale 1.89 (-0.35, +0.25)10^-3 erg/cm2/sec (both in 20 keV - 10 MeV range). The Epeak of the time-integrated spectrum is 1920 +/- 400 keV. Assuming this burst originated from a source in M81 (D = 4 Mpc), the isotrpoic energy release of this GRB is ~4.5x10^46 erg, which consistent with the energy release of 27 December giant flare from SGR 1806-20.
The peak flux of this GRB is the largest ever observed for the Konus-Wind short GRBs.
The burst light curve had a very steep rise ~4 msec and a decaying tail, similar to the initial pulses of SGR giant flares.
All the quoted errors are at the 90% confidence level.
The K-W light curve of this GRB and IPN triangulation map can be seen at http://www.ioffe.rssi.ru/LEA/GRBs/GRB051103_T33943/
GCN Circular #4198
V. Lipunov, V.Kornilov, D.Kuvshinov, N.Tyurina, A.Belinski, E.Gorbovskoy, A.Krylov, G.Borisov, A.Sankovich, G.Antiov, V.Vladimirov
Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow Union 'Optic' MASTER robotic system (http://observ.pereplet.ru) responded to GRB051103.4 (GRB_TIME is 2005-11-03 09:25:43.785, GCN4197 )at several minutes after sms about new GCN Circ. The first image (6 square degrees) was at 2005-11-05 19:55:47 UT, 2 days 10:30:03.215 after the GRB time The unfiltered image is calibrated relative to USNO A2.0 (0.8 R + 0.2 B). The robot not find OT-candidate in error box. Our upper limit is about 17.0 m. The JPG-image will be available at http://observ.pereplet.ru/images/GRB051103.4/1.jpg The log JPG-image will be available at http://observ.pereplet.ru/images/GRB051103.4/1_log.jpg
The reduction is continuing. This work is supported by RFFI 04-02-16411 grant. This message can be cited. Mailto: lipunov@sai.msu.ru
GCN Circular #4206
V. Lipunov, V.Kornilov, D.Kuvshinov, N.Tyurina, A.Belinski, E.Gorbovskoy, A.Krylov, G.Borisov, A.Sankovich, G.Antipov, V.Vladimirov
Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow Union 'Optic' MASTER robotic system (http://observ.pereplet.ru) responded to GRB051103.4 (GRB_TIME is 2005-11-03 09:25:43.785, S. Golenetskii et al., GCN4197) at several minutes after GCN Circ4197 time (GCN4198). The first image (6 square degrees) was at 2005-11-05 19:55:47 UT, 2 days 10:30:03.215 after the GRB time. We have 36 images with total exposition 1080 s between 19:55:47 - 21:45:17 on 6 square degrees area. The robot not find OT-candidate in IPN error box. Our upper limit of the sum is about 18.5 m (the wether was not very good).
The unfiltered images are calibrated relative to USNO A2.0 (0.8 R + 0.2 B).
There are 4 galaxies overlaps and inside IPN error box (see image):
```
   Name         Type   Coordinates (J2000)     Magnitude  Redchift  Diameter
                                               B  MASTER            25isophot
  
NGC3031 (M81)  Sab           -               7.8    -    0.000376   big 
NGC3034 (M82)  S?            -               9.2    -    0.000677   big
PGC2719634     ?    09 51 32.25 +68 31 23.4 17.8  16.7      ?       16".9
PGC028505      E    09 53 10.17 +69 00 02.1   ?   14.8      ?        6".0
 
   
```
M81 as candidate (S. Golenetskii et al., GCN4197) for SGR host galaxy is high probable, but we note that error box placed outside spiral arms region, where the progenitor of high magnetized Neutron Star formated. However structure of the galaxy is distorted by tidal intaractions. For example there is Ultraluminous X-ray source M81 X-9 (see Wang, 2002, http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0201230 ) on same distance from M81 center (this source is not in error box and belong to high mass binary population). There is now known SN remnants in error box (see for example D.Matonick and R.Fessen, ApJ SS 112,49,1997 which not investigated IPN error box region).
We stress on elliptical galaxy PGC028505. This galaxy close to center of the IPN error box. The distance to PGC028505 can be estimated as about 80 Mpc. Assuming this burst originated from a source PGC028505, the isotrpoic energy release of this GRB is ~2x10^49 erg. This energy is about 1 order more than GRB050509b one associated with elliptical galaxy (Barthelmy et al., GCN3385). In any case X-ray and optical observations (for search SNR) highly needed.
The sum JPG-image is available at http://observ.pereplet.ru/images/GRB051103.4/sum36.jpg . The IPN error box and galaxies are presented.
This work is supported by RFFI 04-02-16411 grant. This message can be cited. Mailto: lipunov@sai.msu.ru
GCN Circular #4207
S. Klose, P. Ferrero, D. A. Kann, B. Stecklum, and U. Laux, Thueringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg,
report:
Tautenburg observed the error box of the short/hard GRB 051103 (Golenetskii et al. 2005, GCN 4197) on Nov 6/7 in R (23:15 UT - 23:59 UT) and V (00:01 UT - 0:44 UT) using the prime focus CCD camera. These observations were motivated by the fact that we had imaged M81 in June 2005 using the same instrumental setup and the same filters. The combined R-band images of both runs go notably deeper than the DSS2 red, the combined V-band images are of similar depth.
Following the suggestion by Lipunov et al. (GCN 4206), we have analyzed if there is evidence for a brightening of the galaxy PGC 028505 in the GRB error box due to an underlying transient source. No such evidence has been found. In addition, we set a conservative upper limit of R=21 on any transient within a radius of 30 arcsec around PGC 028505, excluding its bright bulge.
This message may be cited.
GCN Circular #4208
E. O. Ofek, S. B. Cenko, A. M. Soderberg, S. R. Kulkarni (Caltech), D. B. Fox (Penn State) report on behalf of the Caltech-NRAO-Carnegie Collaboration:
We have observed the entire error box of the IPN short hard burst GRB 051103 (Golenetskii et al. 2005, GCN 4197) using the Robotic Palomar 60-inch telescope. We acquired 8 pointings (3-9 180sec R-band images each) that cover the entire IPN error box over epochs between 2.96 and 3.16 days after the GRB trigger.
A comparison between the Palomar 60-inch image and POSS2 R-band image did not reveal any new source brighter than limiting magnitude of about R=19.5. Our images are deeper than the POSS images, and there are several possible fainter variable/defects sources within the error box. Second epoch images are scheduled.
Assuming that the GRB is related with the M81/M82 group, and using a distance modulus of 27.8 (Freedman et al. 1994), and A_R=0.2 Galactic extinction (Schlegel et al. 1998), we can set an upper limit of -8.5 (comparable to the absolute magnitude of novae) on the R-band absolute magnitude of an optical transient.
GCN Circular #4249
Pablo Saz Parkinson (UC Santa Cruz) on behalf of the Milagro Collaboration reports:
We have searched Milagro data for emission at GeV/TeV energies from the IPN short hard burst GRB 051103 (GCN Circ 4197, S. Golenetskii et al.), during the 0.17 s burst duration observed by the Konus-Wind experiment. No evidence for prompt GeV/TeV emission was found. This burst occurred at a relatively large zenith angle of 50 degrees, where the sensitivity of Milagro is degraded. A preliminary analysis, assuming a differential photon spectral index of -2.4, gives an upper limit on the fluence at 99% confidence of:
Fluence < 4.2 * 10^(-6) erg cm^(-2) (0.25 - 25 TeV)
If the burst originated from a source in the nearby galaxy M81, at a distance of less than 4 Mpc (GCN Circ 4197, S. Golenetskii et al.) the attenuation due to the extra-galactic background light (EBL) would be negligible. This upper limit is preliminary and will be refined with further analysis.
GCN Circular #4266
P. Brian Cameron (Caltech) and Dale A. Frail (NRAO) report on behalf of a larger collaboration:
"We observed the field of GRB 051103 (GCN 4197) with the Very Large Array (VLA) at a frequency of 1.4 GHz beginning November 6.3 UT. We imaged the entire IPN error region with three VLA pointings. We found no new sources to the limit of the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS, Condon et al., ApJS, 117, 361). The rms noise varied from 0.5 mJy at the southern edge of the IPN error box, to 1.5 mJy at the northern end (due to residual flux from M82).
We also observed a 5-arcmin radius around M82 on November 8.45 UT at a frequency of 4.86 GHz. A comparison between this image and the the NVSS image of the same region did not reveal any new sources above 1.5 mJy (3-sigma).
No further observations are planned.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc."
astro-ph/0609544 from
Frederiks: On the Possibility of Identification of a Short/Hard Burst GRB 051103 with the Giant Flare from a Soft Gamma Repeater in the M81 Group of Galaxies
The light curve, energy characteristics, and localization of a short/hard GRB 051103 burst are considered. Evidence in favor of identifying this event with a giant flare from a soft gamma repeater in the nearby M81 group of interacting galaxies is discussed.
astro-ph/0609582 from 20 Sep 2006
Ofek: The short-hard GRB 051103: Observations and implications for its nature
The bright short-hard GRB 051103 was triangulated by the inter-planetary network and found to occur in the direction of the nearby M81/M82 galaxy group. Given its possible local-Universe nature, we searched for an afterglow associated with this burst. We observed the entire 3-sigma error quadrilateral using the Palomar 60-inch robotic telescope and the Very Large Array (VLA) about three days after the burst. We used the optical and radio observations to constrain the flux of any afterglow related to this burst, and to show that this burst is not associated with a typical supernova out to z~0.15. Our optical and radio observations, along with the Konus/Wind gamma-ray energy and light curve are consistent with this burst being a giant flare of a Soft Gamma-ray Repeater (SGR) within the M81 galaxy group. Furthermore, we find a star forming region associated with M81 within the error quadrilateral of this burst which supports the SGR hypothesis. If confirmed, this will be the first case of a soft gamma-ray repeater outside the local group.
1408.0929 from 6 Aug 14
P.H.R.S. Moraes et al.: Probing Strange Stars with Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors
When a neutron star is compressed to huge densities, it may be converted to a strange star. In property of the event/year rate of a neutron star - strange star binary system, we show that the operational phase of advanced gravitational wave detectors may bring up some evidences that such strange stars do exist. Moreover we argue that such a system could be a plausible progenitor to GRB 051103 and GRB 070201, whose non-detection by LIGO last run awaits convincing explanation.
1411.5589 from 21 Nov 14
D. S. Svinkin et al.: A search for giant flares from soft gamma-repeaters in nearby galaxies in the Konus-Wind short burst sample
The knowledge of the rate of soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) giant flares is important for understanding the giant flare mechanism and the SGR energy budget in the framework of the magnetar model. We estimate the upper limit to the rate using the results of an extensive search for extragalactic soft gamma-repeater giant flares (GFs) among 140 short gamma-ray bursts detected between 1994 and 2010 by Konus-Wind using InterPlanetary Network (IPN) localizations and temporal parameters. We show that Konus-Wind and the IPN are capable of detecting GFs with energies of 2.3x10^46 erg (which is the energy of the GF from SGR 1806-20 assuming a distance of 15 kpc) at distances of up to about 30 Mpc and GFs with energies of <10^45 erg (which is the energy of the GF from SGR 0526-66) at distances of up to about 6 Mpc. Using a sample of 1896 nearby galaxies we found that only two bursts, GRB 051103 and GRB 070201, have a low chance coincidence probability between an IPN localization and a nearby galaxy. We found the upper limit to the fraction of GFs among short GRBs with fluence above ~5x10^-7 erg cm^-2 to be <8% (95% confidence level). Assuming that the number of active SGRs in nearby galaxies is proportional to their core-collapse supernova rate, we derived the one-sided 95% upper limit to the rate of GFs with energy output similar to the GF from SGR 1806-20 to be (0.6--1.2)x10^-4 Q_46^-1.5 yr^-1 per SGR, where Q_46 is the GF energy output in 10^46 erg.

Back to JG's homepage

Jochen Greiner, last update: 21-Nov-2014 [Disclaimer]