A strong optical flare before the rising afterglow of GRB 080129

Details A strong optical flare before the rising afterglow of GRB 080129 A strong optical flare before the rising afterglow of GRB 080129

2008-11-26

arxiv.org/abs/0811.4291v1

Astrophys.J.693:1912-1919,2009

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

accepted for publ. in ApJ, 5 Figs

Scientific paper

10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1912

We report on GROND observations of a 40 sec duration (rest-frame) optical flare from GRB 080129 at redshift 4.349. The rise- and decay time follow a power law with indices +12 and -8, respectively, inconsistent with a reverse shock and a factor 10$^5$ faster than variability caused by ISM interaction. While optical flares have been seen in the past (e.g. GRB 990123, 041219B, 060111B and 080319B), for the first time, our observations not only resolve the optical flare into sub-components, but also provide a spectral energy distribution from the optical to the near-infrared once every minute. The delay of the flare relative to the GRB, its spectral energy distribution as well as the ratio of pulse widths suggest it to arise from residual collisions in GRB outflows \cite{liw08}.If this interpretation is correct and can be supported by more detailed modelling or observation in further GRBs, the delay measurement provides an independent, determination of the Lorentz factor of the outflow.

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