GRB 040827
GCN Circular 2700
Subject
GRB 040827: XMM-Newton data
Date
2004-09-09T16:08:59Z (21 years ago)
From
Norbert Schartel at XMM-Newton/ESA <too@xmm.vilspa.esa.es>
An Observation Data File (ODF) for the XMM-Newton observation
of GRB 040827 with an improved attitude solution is available
from the XMM-Newton Scientific Archive, or from
http://xmm.vilspa.esa.es/external/xmm_sched/too/index.shtml
GCN Circular 2698
Subject
GRB040827: analysis of the XMM-Newton observation
Date
2004-09-08T18:09:54Z (21 years ago)
From
Sergio Campana at INAF-OAB <campana@merate.mi.astro.it>
A. DeLuca & D. Gotz (IASF-Mi), S. Campana (OA Brera) on behalf of a larger
collaboration report:
"We have analysed the data XMM-Newton observation of GRB 040827 (Gotz et
al.
GCN 2670). A preliminary account of these data has been given by
Rodriguez-Pascual & Gonzalez-Riestra (GCN 2688).
The observation started on 2004-08-27 at 18:07:56.UT, lasting 54.3 ks.
Thanks to quick-look data it was soon realised that an afterglow was
present
but it was more than 1arcmin off the camera boresight. Therefore, the
telescope
was re-pointed during the observation (causing problems in the generation
of the ancillary file for spectral analysis).
The source intensity profile is consistent within errors with the
instrumental PSF (possible earlier reports of an extended source might be
due to the re-pointing of the satellite).
Astrometry of the XMM-Newton/EPIC images was done by matching X-ray
sources in the field to stars in the USNO-B1 catalogue. The refined
position (J2000) for the X-ray afterglow (source XMMUJ151701.3-160828,
GCN 2678) is: RA(2000) 15h 17m 01.39s, Dec(2000):-16d 08' 28.77''.
The positional accuracy is at a level of 1.5'' (68% c.l.).
This position is consistent with earlier reports (Rodriguez-Pascual &
Gonzalez-Riestra GCN 2688, XMM-2) and with the position of the likely
afterglow established based on optical-NIR data (Berger et al. GCN 2680;
Gladders & Berger GCN 2681; Kaplan & Berger GCN 2683; Tanvir et al. GCN
2684;
Malesani et al. GCN 2685).
We extracted spectra from the three EPIC cameras. We took the arf file
from the same region of extraction of a different observation.
A single absorbed power law model provides a good description of the data
(chi2_red=1.2 with 187 degrees of freedom), however the column density
(N_H=3.7_{-1.2}^{+4.2}x10^21 cm-2, errors at 90% c.l.) is much larger
than the column density in this direction of the Galaxy (N_H=8x10^20 cm-2,
Dickey & Lockman 1990, or N_H=5x10^20 cm-2 based on Schlegel et al. 1998
maps).
Fixing the column density to N_H=8x10^20 cm-2 results in a unacceptable fit
with chi2_red=3.0.
We then include an absorption component at the redshift of the afterglow,
keeping fixed the Galactic column density to N_H=8x10^20 cm-2.
The new fit is good (chi2_red=1.0) providing a heavily absorbed
afterglow with
N_H=1.3_{-0.3}^{+0.6}x10^22 cm-2. The redshift is relatively well
constrained to
z=0.9_{-0.2}^{+0.9}. The power law photon index is Gamma=2.3+/-0.1 and
the unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV flux is 3.4x10^{-13} erg cm-2 s-1.
The 0.2-10 keV pn light curve shows a clear decay in time. We excluded from
this analysis the first 4 ks when the XMM-Newton pointing was not
definitive.
A power law decay with t^{-1.6+/-0.2} can account for the main decay."
This message can be cited.
GCN Circular 2689
Subject
GRB 040827 - Radio Observations
Date
2004-09-01T17:50:41Z (21 years ago)
From
Alicia Soderberg at Caltech <ams@astro.caltech.edu>
A. Soderberg (Caltech) and D. Frail (NRAO) report on behalf of
a larger Caltech/NRAO/Carnegie collaboration:
We observed the field of GRB 040827 (GCN 2670) with the
Very Large Array on August 31.98 UT. We do not detect
a radio counterpart to the X-ray/NIR afterglow candidate
(GCNs 2678,2680) and place an upper limit of 70 microJy
(2-sigma) at the position of the NIR transient.
One radio source is detected within the Integral error
circle (GCN 2672), with flux density 240 +- 35 microJy
at:
RA: 15:16:56.77 Dec: -16:08:56.7 (J2000).
which is likely to be a pre-existing source, based on
the observed number density of radio sources across the
sky and the size of the Integral error circle."
GCN Circular 2688
Subject
XMM-Newton Images of GRB 040827
Date
2004-09-01T15:36:37Z (21 years ago)
From
Norbert Schartel at XMM-Newton/ESA <too@xmm.vilspa.esa.es>
P. Rodriguez-Pascual and R. Gonzalez-Riestra from the XMM-Newton SOC
report:
Preliminary EPIC-pn images, light-curves and spectra from the XMM-Newton
observation of the field of GRB 040827 are available at the home-page of
the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre:
http://xmm.vilspa.esa.es/external/xmm_news/items/grb040827/index.shtml
The XMM-EPIC exposure started less than 4.5 hours after the notification
of the outburst was received (or roughly 6 hours after the IBAS
detection). The light curve of the source reported in GCN 2678,
XMMUJ151701.3-160828, is highly variable, decreasing from 0.07 to 0.02
counts/sec (0.2-7 keV) during the 54 ksec of the observation. The
average observed flux in the 2-10 keV band is approximately 1E-13
erg cm-2 s-1
GCN Circular 2685
Subject
GRB 040827: optical and NIR observations at the VLT
Date
2004-09-01T10:23:31Z (21 years ago)
From
Daniele Malesani at SISSA-ISAS,Trieste,Italy <malesani@sissa.it>
Daniele Malesani, Paolo D'Avanzo, Andrea Melandri, Dino Fugazza, L.
Angelo Antonelli, Stefano Covino, Gianpiero Tagliaferri, Sergio Campana,
Guido Chincarini, on behalf of a larger collaboration, report:
We performed both NIR and optical observations of the field of GRB
040827 (Mereghetti et al., GCNs 2670, 2672) with the ESO-VLT. NIR
observations were performed on Aug 27.96 and 28.96 (11 and 35 hrs after
the GRB respectively).
We confirm the variability of source XMM2 (Gladders & Berger, GCN 2681;
Kaplan & Berger, GCN 2683; Tanvir et al., GCN 2684), which fades by 0.7
+- 0.2 mag in the K filter. During both observations the seeing was
similar (0.9" and 1.0"), therefore even if the source is extended (thus
making photometry more tricky) this variability is a real effect. JHK
colors of the object (on Aug 27) are consistent with a power law
spectral shape, with a spectral index beta ~ 1.4. Note however that a
significant contribution from the host may be present in our measurements.
Given the variability of XMM2 and its spatial coincidence with the X-ray
source detected by XMM (Rodriguez-Pascual & Juarez, GCN 2678; see also
http://xmm.vilspa.esa.es/external/xmm_news/items/grb040827/index.shtml
for a refined position), we also conclude that XMM2 is likely the
afterglow of GRB 040827 (Kaplan & Berger, GCN 2683; Tanvir et al., GCN
2684).
I-band observations were performed on Aug 28.99 and Aug 30.01. No
significant variation is seen between the two epochs (at the ~0.2 mag
level). The source has I ~ 22.6 in both nights. This suggests that the
emission is dominated by the host galaxy at these epochs, therefore
implying a very weak afterglow. Otherwise, the decay may have
experienced a plateaux phase.
A spectrum taken with the VLT on Aug 30.00) shows a weak featureless
continuum in the range 4600-8600 A. The lack of detection of any
emission lines does not allow us to determine a redshift, but it can put
some constraints on it. For example, the non-detection of [O III] 5006 A
(usually prominent in GRB host galaxies spectra) would imply z > 0.7.
The absence of Ly alpha emission also limits z < 2.7.
We acknowledge the big effort of the ESO observing staff at Paranal, in
particular Chris Lidman, Elena Mason, Claudio Melo, Nancy Ageorges,
Stephane Brillant and Andres Pino.
This message can be cited.
GCN Circular 2684
Subject
GRB 040827: UKIRT - 2nd epoch K-band imaging
Date
2004-08-29T16:16:33Z (21 years ago)
From
Nial Tanvir at IofA U.Cambridge <nrt@ast.cam.ac.uk>
N. Tanvir, R. Priddey (U. Hertfordshire) A. Levan (U. Leicester),
T. Geballe (Gemini) and T. Wold (JAC) report on behalf of a larger
collaboration:
We have obtained a 2nd epoch of K band imaging at UKIRT, 40 minutes
(again in ~0.6 arcsec seeing), starting at August 29.22 UT.
We confirm the findings of Kaplan and Berger (GCN Circular 2683),
that XMM-2 has faded by between 0.4 and 0.5 magnitudes, but similarly
caution that the photometry is quite sensitive to the chosen aperture
size (2.2 arcsec diameter was used) since the source is somewhat extended.
XMM-2 is therefore likely to be the GRB afterglow (+ host), and the
power-law decay slope a relatively shallow alpha~0.5, consistent with
a fairly significant host contribution to the measured magnitudes.
XMM-1 has remained constant at about K~19.8
This message may be cited.
GCN Circular 2683
Subject
GRB 040827: 2nd epoch of Magellan K-band imaging
Date
2004-08-29T03:08:22Z (21 years ago)
From
Edo Berger at Carnegie Obs <eberger@ociw.edu>
D.L. Kaplan (MIT) and E. Berger (Carnegie Observatories) report:
"We again imaged the position of the XMM-Newton X-ray source (GCN #2678),
localized inside the error circle of GRB 040827 (GCN #2672), with the
PANIC instrument on the Magellan Baade 6.5-m Telescope. A total of 36
minutes were obtained in the Ks-band on Aug. 28.97 UT with a seeing of
about 1". A comparison to images obtained on the previous night by
Gladders and Berger (GCN #2681) reveals that XMM-1 has not faded and
remains steady at Ks~19.4 mag. XMM-2 appears fainter by about 0.5 mag,
but this may be due to the poorer seeing conditions (1" compared to 0.55"
on Aug. 28.02 UT) and the extended nature of this source. The lack of
variability (see also GCN #2682