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arXiv · 1807.02866

Fermi GBM Observations of GRB 150101B: A Second Nearby Event with a Short Hard Spike and a Soft Tail

E. Burns·P. Veres·V. Connaughton·J. Racusin·M. S. Briggs·N. Christensen·A. Goldstein·R. Hamburg·D. Kocevski·J. McEnery·E. Bissaldi·T. Dal Canton·W. H. Cleveland·M. H. Gibby·C. M. Hui·A. von Kienlin·B. Mailyan·W. S. Paciesas·O. J. Roberts·K. Siellez·M. Stanbro·C. A. Wilson-Hodge
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Abstract

In light of the joint multimessenger detection of a binary neutron star merger as the gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A and in gravitational waves as GW170817, we reanalyze the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor data of one of the closest short gamma-ray bursts: GRB 150101B. We find this burst is composed of a short hard spike followed by a comparatively long soft tail. This apparent two-component nature is phenomenologically similar to that of GRB 170817A. While GRB 170817A was distinct from the previously known population of short gamma-ray bursts in terms of its prompt intrinsic energetics, GRB 150101B is not. Despite these differences, GRB 150101B can be modeled as a more on-axis version of GRB 170817A. Identifying a similar signature in two of the closest short gamma-ray bursts suggests the soft tail is common, but generally undetectable in more distant events. If so, it will be possible to identify nearby short gamma-ray bursts from the prompt gamma-ray emission alone, aiding the search for kilonovae.

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E. Burns, P. Veres, V. Connaughton, J. Racusin, M. S. Briggs, N. Christensen, A. Goldstein, R. Hamburg, D. Kocevski, J. McEnery, E. Bissaldi, T. Dal Canton, W. H. Cleveland, M. H. Gibby, C. M. Hui, A. von Kienlin, B. Mailyan, W. S. Paciesas, O. J. Roberts, K. Siellez, M. Stanbro, C. A. Wilson-Hodge. 2018-08-06. Fermi GBM Observations of GRB 150101B: A Second Nearby Event with a Short Hard Spike and a Soft Tail. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213%2Faad813

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