The bright optical flash from GRB 060117

M. Jelínek(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), M. Prouza(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), P. Kubánek(Czech Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Institute), R. Hudec(Czech Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Institute), Martin Nekola(Czech Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Institute), J. Řídký(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), J. Grygar(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), M. Boháčová(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), A. J. Castro‐Tirado(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), J. Gorosabel(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), M. Hrabovský(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Dušan Mandát(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Dalibor Nosek, L. Nožka(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), M. Palatka(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), S. B. Pandey(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), M. Pech(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Petr Schovánek(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Radomir Šmída(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), P. Trávnı́ček(FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), A. de Ugarte Postigo(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), S. Vítek(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
July 17, 2006
10.1051/0004-6361:20065092
Cited by 36Open Access
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Abstract

We present a discovery and observation of an extraordinarily bright prompt optical emission of the GRB 060117 obtained by a wide-field camera atop the robotic telescope FRAM of the Pierre Auger Observatory from 2 to 10 min after the GRB. We found rapid average temporal flux decay of and a peak brightness mag. Later observations by other instruments set a strong limit on the optical and radio transient fluxes, unveiling an unexpectedly rapid further decay. We present an interpretation featuring a relatively steep electron-distribution parameter and providing a straightforward solution for the overall fast decay of this optical transient as a transition between reverse and forward shock.

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