Early optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst afterglow

Carole G. Mundell; Iain A. Steels; Robert J. Smith; Shiho Kobayashi; Andrea Melandri; Cristiano Guidorzi; Andreja Gomboc; Chris J. Mottram; David Clarke; Alessandro Monfardini; David Carter; David Bersier

doi:10.1126/science.1138484

Early optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst afterglow

Carole G. Mundell, Iain A. Steels, Robert J. Smith, Shiho Kobayashi, Andrea Melandri, Cristiano Guidorzi, Andreja Gomboc, Chris J. Mottram, David Clarke, Alessandro Monfardini, David Carter, David Bersier

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

73 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

We report the optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow, obtained 203 seconds after the initial burst of γ-rays from GRB 060418, using a ring polarimeter on the robotic Liverpool Telescope. Our robust (2σ) upper limit on the percentage of polarization, less than 8%, coincides with the fireball deceleration time at the onset of the afterglow. The combination of the rate of decay of the optical brightness and the low polarization at this critical time constrains standard models of GRB ejecta, ruling out the presence of a large-scale ordered magnetic field in the emitting region.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1822-1824
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	315
Issue number	5820
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1138484
Publication status	Published - 30 Mar 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1138484

Cite this

@article{e45ba66411ad4573a569f5653ec916fc,

title = "Early optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst afterglow",

abstract = "We report the optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow, obtained 203 seconds after the initial burst of γ-rays from GRB 060418, using a ring polarimeter on the robotic Liverpool Telescope. Our robust (2σ) upper limit on the percentage of polarization, less than 8%, coincides with the fireball deceleration time at the onset of the afterglow. The combination of the rate of decay of the optical brightness and the low polarization at this critical time constrains standard models of GRB ejecta, ruling out the presence of a large-scale ordered magnetic field in the emitting region.",

author = "Mundell, {Carole G.} and Steels, {Iain A.} and Smith, {Robert J.} and Shiho Kobayashi and Andrea Melandri and Cristiano Guidorzi and Andreja Gomboc and Mottram, {Chris J.} and David Clarke and Alessandro Monfardini and David Carter and David Bersier",

year = "2007",

month = mar,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1126/science.1138484",

language = "English",

volume = "315",

pages = "1822--1824",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5820",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Early optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst afterglow

AU - Mundell, Carole G.

AU - Steels, Iain A.

AU - Smith, Robert J.

AU - Kobayashi, Shiho

AU - Melandri, Andrea

AU - Guidorzi, Cristiano

AU - Gomboc, Andreja

AU - Mottram, Chris J.

AU - Clarke, David

AU - Monfardini, Alessandro

AU - Carter, David

AU - Bersier, David

PY - 2007/3/30

Y1 - 2007/3/30

N2 - We report the optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow, obtained 203 seconds after the initial burst of γ-rays from GRB 060418, using a ring polarimeter on the robotic Liverpool Telescope. Our robust (2σ) upper limit on the percentage of polarization, less than 8%, coincides with the fireball deceleration time at the onset of the afterglow. The combination of the rate of decay of the optical brightness and the low polarization at this critical time constrains standard models of GRB ejecta, ruling out the presence of a large-scale ordered magnetic field in the emitting region.

AB - We report the optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow, obtained 203 seconds after the initial burst of γ-rays from GRB 060418, using a ring polarimeter on the robotic Liverpool Telescope. Our robust (2σ) upper limit on the percentage of polarization, less than 8%, coincides with the fireball deceleration time at the onset of the afterglow. The combination of the rate of decay of the optical brightness and the low polarization at this critical time constrains standard models of GRB ejecta, ruling out the presence of a large-scale ordered magnetic field in the emitting region.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34147200078&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1138484

DO - 10.1126/science.1138484

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:34147200078

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 315

SP - 1822

EP - 1824

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5820

ER -

Early optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst afterglow

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this