GRB 011211 explained

Dec:[1]
Energy:5 ergs

GRB 011211 was a gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected on December 11, 2001. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash associated with an explosion in a distant galaxy and producing gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation, and often followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio).

Observations

GRB 011211 was detected by the Italian–Dutch X-ray astronomy satellite BeppoSAX on 11 December 2001 at 19:09 UTC.[2] The burst lasted 270 seconds, making it the longest burst that had ever been detected by BeppoSAX up to that point. A spectrum recorded by the Yepun telescope indicated a redshift of z = 2.14.[3]

Supernova relation

A team of researchers at the University of Leicester conducted an analysis of the burst's X-ray afterglow with the XMM-Newton observatory. They found evidence for emission lines of magnesium, silicon, sulphur, and various other chemical elements. This was the first detection of these elements in the spectrum of a GRB.[4] These observations provided strong evidence for a relation between gamma-ray bursts and supernova.[5] However, other astronomers pointed out flaws in the methodology of the Leicester research team, such as the data reduction methods,[6] the low statistical significance of the emission lines,[7] and the low spectral resolution of the instrument used.[8] Despite a follow-up paper from the Leicester team to address these concerns,[9] the findings remained controversial, and GRB 020813 was given the distinction of being the first burst with direct evidence of a supernova relation.[10] [11]

Host galaxy

Optical, infrared, and X-ray observations taken by the Hubble Space Telescope between 14 and 59 days after the burst's detection revealed a blue galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 24.95 ± 0.11.[12] Like several other gamma-ray burst hosts, Lyman alpha emission was detected from this galaxy, supporting the theory that the progenitors of gamma-ray burst tend to be metal-poor.[13]

Notes and References

  1. GRB011211(=XRF011211): BeppoSAX refined positions . Gandolfi, Giangiacomo . GCN Circulars . 1189 . 12 December 2001 . 1 . 2001GCN..1189....1G . 1 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090831061809/http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn3/1189.gcn3 . 31 August 2009 . live .
  2. BeppoSAX Alert: GRB011211(=XRF011211) . Gandolfi, Giangiacomo . GCN Circulars . 1188 . 12 December 2001 . 1 . 2001GCN..1188....1G . 1 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090831061640/http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn3/1188.gcn3 . 31 August 2009 . live .
  3. GRB 011211: Optical Spectroscopy . Fruchter, Andrew S. . GCN Circulars . 1200 . 13 December 2001 . 1 . 2001GCN..1200....1F . 1 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100704122911/http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn3/1200.gcn3 . 4 July 2010 . live .
  4. News: XMM observation of gamma ray burst shows supernova connection . University of Leicester . Osborne, Julian . 5 April 2002 . 31 May 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090503063834/http://www.star.le.ac.uk/news/0302.html . 3 May 2009 .
  5. 10.1038/416512a . The signature of supernova ejecta measured in the X-ray afterglow of the Gamma Ray Burst 011211 . Reeves, J. N. . etal . Nature . 416 . 512 - 515 . 4 April 2002 . astro-ph/0204075 . 2002Natur.416..512R . 6880 . 11932738 . 4407892 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718072801/http://www.swift.ac.uk/Reeves_final_pages.pdf . 2011-07-18 .
  6. 10.1086/368102 . Observations of the X-Ray Afterglows of GRB 011211 and GRB 001025 by XMM-Newton . Borozdin, Konstantin N. . Trudolyubov, Sergey P. . The Astrophysical Journal . 583 . L57 - L61 . 1 February 2003 . 2003ApJ...583L..57B. astro-ph/0205208 . 2. 6384366 .
  7. Statistical Re-examination of Reported Emission Lines in the X-ray Afterglow of GRB 011211 . Rutledge, Robert E. . Sako, Masao . . 339 . 3 . 600 - 606 . 20 February 2003 . 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06051.x. free . astro-ph/0206073 . 2003MNRAS.339..600R . 16358800 .
  8. 10.1086/378511 . The X-ray Afterglows of GRB 020813 and GRB 021004 with CHANDRA HETGS: Possible Evidence for a Supernova Prior to GRB 020813 . Butler, Nathaniel R. . etal . The Astrophysical Journal . 597 . 1010 - 1016 . 10 November 2003 . 2003ApJ...597.1010B. astro-ph/0303539 . 2. 6171688 .
  9. Soft X-ray emission lines in the afterglow spectrum of GRB 011211: A detailed XMM-Newton analysis . Reeves, J. N. . etal . Astronomy & Astrophysics . 403 . 2 . 463 - 472 . 4 May 2003 . 10.1051/0004-6361:20030204 . 2003A&A...403..463R. astro-ph/0206480 . 15558165 .
  10. Cosmic Forensics Confirms Gamma-Ray Burst And Supernova Connection . NASA . 24 March 2003 . 23 May 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705120113/http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/03_releases/press_032403.html . 5 July 2010 . live .
  11. News: Supernova is 'smoking gun' in gamma-ray-burst whodunit . Fazekas, Andrew . 2 April 2003 . 23 May 2010 . Astronomy . https://web.archive.org/web/20070707104352/http://astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=2155 . 7 July 2007 . live .
  12. The Afterglow and Host Galaxy of GRB 011211 . Jakobsson, P. . etal . Astronomy and Astrophysics . 408 . 941 - 947 . 10.1051/0004-6361:20031044 . 10 July 2003 . 2003A&A...408..941J. astro-ph/0307222 . 3 . 14584835 .
  13. On the Ly α emission from gamma-ray burst host galaxies: Evidence for low metallicities . Fynbo, J. P. U. . etal . Astronomy and Astrophysics . 406 . L63 - L66 . 10.1051/0004-6361:20030931 . 19 June 2003 . 2003A&A...406L..63F. astro-ph/0306403 . 3 . 64549 .

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