The rapid decay of the optical emission from GRB 980326 and its possible implications

DOI: 
10.1086/311509
Publication date: 
01/08/1998
Main author: 
Groot, PJ
IAA authors: 
Authors: 
Groot, PJ; Galama, TJ; Vreeswijk, PM; Wijers, RAMJ; Pian, E; Palazzi, E; van Paradijs, J; Kouveliotou, C; in't Zand, JJM; Heise, J; Robinson, C; Tanvir, N; Lidman, C; Tinney, C; Keane, M; Briggs, M; Hurley, K; Gonzalez, JF; Hall, P; Smith, MG; Covarrubias, R; Jonker, PG; Casares, J; Masetti, N; Frontera, F; Feroci, M; Piro, L; Costa, E; Smith, R; Jones, B; Windridge, D; Bland-Hawthorn, J; Veilleux, S; Garcia, M; Brown, WR; Stanek, KZ; Castro-Tirado, AJ; Gorosabel, J; Greiner, J; Jager, K; Bohm, A; Fricke, KJ
Journal: 
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
502
Pages: 
L123-L127
Number: 
Abstract: 
We report the discovery of the optical counterpart to GRB 980326. Its rapid optical decay can be characterized by a power law with exponent -2.10 +/- 0.13 and a constant underlying source at R-c = 25.5 +/- 0.5. Its optical colors 2.1 days after the burst imply a spectral slope of -0.66 +/- 0.70. The gamma-ray spectrum as observed with BATSE shows that it is among the 4% softest bursts ever recorded. We argue that the rapid optical decay may be a reason for the nondetection of some low-energy afterglows of GRBs.
Database: 
WOK
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/1998ApJ...502L.123G/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
1998ApJ...502L.123G
Keywords: 
gamma rays : bursts; gamma rays : observations; radiation mechanisms : nonthermal