On the Electron Energy Distribution Index of Swift Gamma-ray Burst Afterglows
The electron energy distribution index, p, is a fundamental parameter of the synchrotron emission from a rangeof astronomical sources. Here we examine one such source of synchrotron emission, gamma-ray burst (GRB)afterglows observed by the Swift satellite. Within the framework of the blast wave mode...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205/716/2/L135/pdf/apjl_716_2_135.pdf http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38025 |
| Summary: | The electron energy distribution index, p, is a fundamental parameter of the synchrotron emission from a rangeof astronomical sources. Here we examine one such source of synchrotron emission, gamma-ray burst (GRB)afterglows observed by the Swift satellite. Within the framework of the blast wave model, we examine theconstraints placed on the distribution of p by the observed X-ray spectral indices and parameterize the distribution.We find that the observed distribution of spectral indices are inconsistent with an underlying distribution ofp composed of a single discrete value but consistent with a Gaussian distribution centered at p = 2.36 andhaving a width of 0.59. Furthermore, accepting that the underlying distribution is a Gaussian, we find that themajority ( 94%) of GRB afterglows in our sample have cooling break frequencies less than the X-ray frequency. |
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