Colour variations in the GRB 120327A afterglow
Abstract
Aims: We present a comprehensive temporal and spectral analysis of the long Swift GRB 120327A afterglow data to investigate possible causes of the observed early-time colour variations.
Methods: We collected data from various instruments and telescopes in X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared bands, and determined the shapes of the afterglow early-time light curves. We studied the overall temporal behaviour and the spectral energy distributions from early to late times.
Results: The ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light curves can be modelled with a single power-law component between 200 and 2 × 104 s after the burst event. The X-ray light curve shows a canonical steep-shallow-steep behaviour that is typical of long gamma-ray bursts. At early times a colour variation is observed in the ultraviolet/optical bands, while at very late times a hint of a re-brightening is visible. The observed early-time colour change can be explained as a variation in the intrinsic optical spectral index, rather than an evolution of the optical extinction.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201731759
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1709.08865
- Bibcode:
- 2017A&A...607A..29M
- Keywords:
-
- gamma-ray burst: individual: GRB 120327A;
- dust;
- extinction;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in A&