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Abstract The multimessenger detection of GW170817 showed that binary neutron star (BNS) mergers are progenitors of (at least some) short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and that short GRB jets (and their afterglows) can have structures (and observational properties) more complex than predicted by the standard top-hat jet scenario. Indeed, the emission from the structured jet launched in GW170817 peaked in the radio band (centimeter wavelengths) at ≈100 days since merger—a timescale much longer than the typical time span of radio follow-up observations of short GRBs. Moreover, radio searches for a potential late-time radio flare from the fast tail of the neutron-rich debris that powered the kilonova associated with GW170817 (AT 2017gfo) have extended to even longer timescales (years after the merger). In light of this, here we present the results of an observational campaign targeting a sample of seven, years-old GRBs in the Swift/BAT sample with no redshift measurements and no promptly identified X-ray counterpart. Our goal is to assess whether this sample of short GRBs could harbor nearby BNS mergers, searching for the late-time radio emission expected from their ejecta. We found one radio candidate counterpart for one of the GRBs in our sample, GRB 111126A, though an origin related to emission from star formation or from an active galactic nucleus in its host galaxy cannot be excluded without further observations.
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Ready for O4 II: GRANDMA observations of Swift GRBs over eight weeks in spring 2022
black We present a campaign designed to train the Global Rapid Advanced Network Devoted to the Multi-messenger Addicts (GRANDMA) network and its infrastructure to follow up on transient alerts and detect their early afterglows. In preparation for O4 II campaign, we focused on gamma-ray burst (GRB) alerts since they are expected to serve as the electromagnetic counterpart of gravitational-wave events. Our goal was to improve our response to the alerts and to start prompt observations as soon as possible, so that we may better prepare the GRANDMA network for the fourth observational run of LIGO-Virgo-Kagra (launched at the end of May 2023) and future missions such as SM. black We set up a dedicated infrastructure and organized a rota of follow-up advocates (FAs) to guarantee round-the-clock assistance to our telescope teams, with an aim to receive, manage, and send out observational plansto our partner telescopes. To ensure a large number of observations, we focused on Swift GRBs whose localization errors were generally smaller than the GRANDMA telescopes' field of view. This allowed us to bypass the transient identification process and focus on the reaction time and efficiency of the network. black During the 'Ready for O4 II' phase, 11 Swift /INTEGRAL GRB triggers were selected. Of these, nine fields had been observed and three afterglows had been detected (GRB\,220403B, GRB\,220427A, GRB\,220514A) with 17 GRANDMA telescopes and 17 amateur astronomers from the citizen science project Kilonova-Catcher. Here, we highlight the GRB\,220427A analysis, where our long-term follow-up of the host galaxy allowed us to obtain a photometric redshift of $z=0.82 and its lightcurve evolution, as well as to fit the decay slope of the afterglows and study the properties of the host galaxy. black During this eight-week-long GRB follow-up campaign, we successfully fulfilled our goal of training telescope teams for O4 and improving the associated technical toolkits. For seven of the GRB alerts, our network was able to start the first observations less than one hour after the GRB trigger time. We also characterized the network efficiency to observe GRB afterglow given the resulting time delay and limiting magnitude, and to its light curve evolution based on the observation of GRB\, 220427A.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2319415
- PAR ID:
- 10538410
- Publisher / Repository:
- EDP Sciences
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- ISSN:
- 0004-6361
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202347938
