Other
Scientific paper
Jan 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aas...21335206c&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #213, #352.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.493
Other
Scientific paper
To examine the connection between gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and supernovae (SNe), we obtained repeated optical/IR observations of 101 GRB positions using the ANDICAM instrument on the 1.3m Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS) telescope at CTIO. These images were then examined for evidence of brightening due to SNe. SN light is expected following long-duration bursts if they are formed by the core collapse of massive stars. In contrast, short-duration bursts should not be associated with SNe if they are formed via the merger of binary neutron stars. Monitoring of GRB 031203 revealed the presence of SN 2003lw, and we also observed SN 2006aj associated with GRB 060218. However, no brightening sources were detected in association with the other 99 bursts in our sample. Two-thirds of these bursts do not have measured redshifts. Under the assumption that all GRBs are formed from GRB-SNe similar to the prototypical GRB-SN 1998bw, we determine the lower limits to the redshifts of these bursts by comparing our observational limits to template light curves of SN 1998bw at redshifts from z=0.01 to z=1.60. The redshifted light curves of SN 1998bw are derived using a generalized k-correction based on the photometric observations of SN 1998bw obtained by Galama et al. (1998) and the spectroscopic observations obtained by Patat et al. (2001). The remaining one-third of bursts in this sample have measured redshifts. For each of these bursts, we determine the upper limits in brightness of any associated GRB-SNe; SNe brighter than these limits would have been detected in our data. The lack of 98bw-like SNe after long-duration GRBs indicates that alternative GRB formation mechanisms may be required, while the lack of SNe following short-duration bursts supports the NS-NS merger hypothesis. Collection of SMARTS data is supported by NSF-AST 0707627.
Bailyn Charles
Cobb Bethany
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