2900 Square Degree Search for the Optical Counterpart of Short Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 180523B with the Zwicky Transient Facility

Coughlin, Michael W ; Ahumada, Tomas ; Cenko, S Bradley ; Cunningham, Virginia ; Ghosh, Shaon ; Singer, Leo P ; Bellm, Eric C ; Burns, Eric ; De, Kishalay ; Goldstein, Adam(Universities Space Research Association (USRA), Science and Technology Inst, Huntsville, AL, United States)

关键词: GAMMA RAY BURSTS;    POSITION (LOCATION);    CAMERAS;    DEPTH;    FIELD OF VIEW;    OPTICAL TRACKING;    ASTRONOMICAL PHOTOMETRY;    SPECTRAL COUNTERPARTS (ASTRONOMY);    OBSERVATORIES;    SWIFT OBSERVATORY;    SKY SURVEYS (ASTRONOMY);    GRAVITATIONAL WAVES;    GAMMA RAY ASTRONOMY;    GAMMA RAY SOURCES (ASTRONOMY);   

RP-ID  :  GSFC-E-DAA-TN66744

学科分类：天体物理学

美国|英语

来源: NASA Technical Reports Server

【 摘 要 】

There is significant interest in the models for production of short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Until now, the number of known short GRBs with multi-wavelength afterglows has been small. While the Fermi GRB Monitor detects many GRBs relative to the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, the large localization regions makes the search for counterparts difficult. With the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF - part of Palomar Observatory) recently achieving first light, it is now fruitful to use its combination of depth (m (sub AB) approximating 20.6), field of view (approximately 47 square degrees), and survey cadence (every approximately 3 days) to perform Target of Opportunity observations. We demonstrate this capability on GRB 180523B, which was recently announced by the Fermi GRB Monitor as a short GRB. ZTF imaged 2900 square degrees of the localization region, resulting in the coverage of 61.6 percent of the enclosed probability over two nights to a depth of m (sub AB) approximating 20.5. We characterized 14 previously unidentified transients, and none were found to be consistent with a short GRB counterpart. This search with the ZTF shows it is an efficient camera for searching for coarsely localized short GRB and gravitational-wave counterparts, allowing for a sensitive search with minimal interruption to its nominal cadence.