Time-dependent Optical Spectroscopy of GRB 010222: Clues to the Gamma-Ray Burst Environment

dc.contributor.authorMirabal, N.
dc.contributor.authorHalpern, J. P.
dc.contributor.authorKulkarni, S. R.
dc.contributor.authorCastro, S.
dc.contributor.authorBloom, J. S.
dc.contributor.authorDjorgovski, S. G.
dc.contributor.authorGalama, T. J.
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, F. A.
dc.contributor.authorFrail, D. A.
dc.contributor.authorPrice, P. A.
dc.contributor.authorReichart, D. E.
dc.contributor.authorEbeling, H.
dc.contributor.authorBunker, A.
dc.contributor.authorDawson, S.
dc.contributor.authorDey, A.
dc.contributor.authorSpinrad, H.
dc.contributor.authorStern, D.
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-09T16:22:52Z
dc.date.available2020-09-09T16:22:52Z
dc.date.issued2002-07-01
dc.description.abstractWe present sequential optical spectra of the afterglow of GRB 010222 obtained 1 day apart using the Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) and the Echellette Spectrograph and Imager (ESI) on the Keck Telescopes. Three low-ionization absorption systems are spectroscopically identified at z1 = 1.47688, z2 = 1.15628, and z3 = 0.92747. The higher resolution ESI spectrum reveals two distinct components in the highest redshift system at z1a = 1.47590 and z1b = 1.47688. We interpret the z1b = 1.47688 system as an absorption feature of the disk of the host galaxy of GRB 010222. The best-fitted power-law optical continuum and [Zn/Cr] ratio imply low dust content or a local gray dust component near the burst site. In addition, we do not detect strong signatures of vibrationally excited states of H2. If the gamma-ray burst took place in a superbubble or young stellar cluster, there are no outstanding signatures of an ionized absorber either. Analysis of the spectral time dependence at low resolution shows no significant evidence for absorption-line variability. This lack of variability is confronted with time-dependent photoionization simulations designed to apply the observed flux from GRB 010222 to a variety of assumed atomic gas densities and cloud radii. The absence of time dependence in the absorption lines implies that high-density environments are disfavored. In particular, if the GRB environment was dust free, its density was unlikely to exceed nH I = 10² cm⁻³. If depletion of metals onto dust is similar to Galactic values or less than solar abundances are present, then nH I ≥ 2 × 10⁴ cm⁻³ is probably ruled out in the immediate vicinity of the burst.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipWe would like to thank R.-P. Kudritzki and F. Bresolin for obtaining the first set of spectra. We also acknowledge Eric Gotthelf for allowing us to use his new Alpha computer and Robert Uglesich for tips on optimization in FORTRAN. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant AST 00-71108. J. S. B. is supported as a Fannie and John Hertz Fellow. The work of S.D. was supported by IGPP-LLNL University Collaborative Research Program grant 02-AP-015 and was performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-Eng-48. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The work of D.S. was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with NASA.en_US
dc.description.urihttps://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/342619en_US
dc.format.extent15 pagesen_US
dc.genrejournal articlesen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2seax-rjri
dc.identifier.citationN. Mirabal et al., Time-dependent Optical Spectroscopy of GRB 010222: Clues to the Gamma-Ray Burst Environment, ApJ 578 818 (2002), doi: https://doi.org/10.1086/342619en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1086/342619
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/19616
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherIOPen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Physics Department Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) / Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences & Technology II (CRSST II)
dc.rightsThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
dc.rightsPublic Domain Mark 1.0*
dc.rightsThis work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/*
dc.titleTime-dependent Optical Spectroscopy of GRB 010222: Clues to the Gamma-Ray Burst Environmenten_US
dc.typeTexten_US

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