Infrared Imaging of GRB 970508

Creators: Chary, R.; Neugebauer, G.; Morris, M.; Becklin, E. E.; Matthews, K.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Lowrance, P. J.; Zuckerman, B.; Mastrodemos, N.

Abstract

We have observed the field of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508 at infrared wavelengths (2.2 μm) and have found a variable source coincident with the visible transient thought to be associated with the burst. The source was decaying in brightness with Ks magnitudes of 18.2±0.1, 18.8±0.1, and 19.0±0.3 mag on May 13.25, 16.25, and 20.21 UT, respectively. A 1 σ upper limit of K=21.3 mag was obtained for the brightness of the source on June 14.27 UT. The infrared light curve during this period is consistent with a ~t^(-1.2) power law, similar to the visible light curve. We do not find evidence for extended structure around the burst, as has been claimed for GRB 970228, and we obtain an upper limit of 0.04L_* for the luminosity of an underlying galaxy at the position of the infrared transient.

Additional Information

© 1998 American Astronomical Society. Received 20 January 1998. Accepted 4 March 1998. Published 26 March 1998. We are very grateful to L. Armus, C. Barnbaum, C. McCarthy, B. T. Soifer, and the staff of the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Palomar Observatory for their assistance with the observations. We also wish to thank S. E. Persson for providing the calibration stars and S. B. Larson for useful discussions. The W. M. Keck Observatory is a scientific partnership between the University of California and the California Institute of Technology. It was made possible by the generous and visionary gift of the W. M. Keck Foundation and the support of its president, Howard Keck.

Attached Files

Published - Chary_1998_ApJ_498_L9.pdf

Files

Chary_1998_ApJ_498_L9.pdf

Files (98.5 kB)

Name	Size	Download all
Chary_1998_ApJ_498_L9.pdf md5:94ad05c93445e177d3b9a9f48fcd62d9	98.5 kB	Preview Download

Additional details

	All versions	This version
Views	0	0
Downloads	0	0
Data volume	0 Bytes	0 Bytes