Search

We report the discovery of a bright pulse having a dispersion measure (DM) equal to 134.4 \pm 2 pc cm^{-3}, a peak flux density (S_p) equal to 20 \pm 4 Jy and a half-width (W_e) equal to 211 \pm 6 ms. The excessive DM of the pulse, after taking into account the Milky Way contribution, is 114 pc cm^{-3} that indicates its extragalactic origin. Such value of DM corresponds to the luminosity distance 713 Mpc. The above parameters make the pulse to be a reliable candidate to the fast radio burst (FRB) event, and then it is the second FRB detected at such a large \lambda \sim 2.7 m wavelength and the first one among non-repeating FRBs. The normalized luminosity L_\nu of the event, which we have designated as FRB 20190203, estimated under assumption that the whole excessive DM is determined by the intergalactic environment toward the host galaxy, is equal to \simeq 10^{34} erg s^{-1} Hz{-1}. In addition to the study of radio data we analyzed data from the quasi-simultaneous observations of the sky in the high energy (\ge 80 keV) band by the omnidirectional detector SPI/ACS aboard the INTEGRAL orbital observatory (in order to look for a possible gamma-ray counterpart of FRB 20190203). We did not detect any transient events exceeding the background at a statistically significant level. In the INTEGRAL archive, the FRB 20190203 localization region has been observed many times with a total exposure of \sim 73.2 days. We have analyzed the data but were unable to find any reliable short gamma-ray bursts from the FRB 20190203 position. Finally we note that the observed properties of FRB 20190203 can be reproduced well in the framework of a maser synchrotron model operating in the far reverse shock (at a distance of \sim 10^{15} cm) of a magnetar. However, triggering the burst requires a high conversion efficiency (at the level of 1%) of the shock wave energy into the radio emission., Comment: submitted to PASA, 11 pages, 7 figures

We present the largest optical photometry compilation of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with redshifts ($z$). We include 64813 observations of 535 events (including upper limits) from 28 February 1997 up to 18 August 2023. We also present a user-friendly web tool \textit{grbLC} which allows users the visualization of photometry, coordinates, redshift, host galaxy extinction, and spectral indices for each event in our database. Furthermore, we have added a Gamma Ray Coordinate Network (GCN) scraper that can be used to collect data by gathering magnitudes from the GCNs. The web tool also includes a package for uniformly investigating colour evolution. We compute the optical spectral indices for 138 GRBs for which we have at least 4 filters at the same epoch in our sample and craft a procedure to distinguish between GRBs with and without colour evolution. By providing a uniform format and repository for the optical catalogue, this web-based archive is the first step towards unifying several community efforts to gather the photometric information for all GRBs with known redshifts. This catalogue will enable population studies by providing light curves (LCs) with better coverage since we have gathered data from different ground-based locations. Consequently, these LCs can be used to train future LC reconstructions for an extended inference of the redshift. The data gathering also allows us to fill some of the orbital gaps from Swift in crucial points of the LCs, e.g., at the end of the plateau emission or where a jet break is identified., Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, 2 tables. Submitted to MNRAS, this version matches the third revision. The Online Materials and data will be available after the publication

The results of a study of the short gamma-ray burst GRB 231115A in the X-ray and gamma-ray ranges are presented, based on data from the INTEGRAL and Fermi space observatories. The source of the burst is localized by the IBIS/ISGRI telescope of INTEGRAL observatory with an accuracy of $\leq$ 1.5 arcmin, it is located in the Cigar Galaxy (M 82). Early follow-up observations of the burst localization region were carried out in the optical range with the 36-cm telescope of the ISON-Kitab observatory and the 70-cm telescope AS-32 of the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, the optical emission has not been detected. The proximity of the host galaxy ($D_L \simeq 3.5$ Mpc) significantly limits energetics of the event ($E_{iso}\ \sim\ 10^{45}$ erg) and allows us to interpret the burst as a giant flare of a previously unknown soft gamma repeater (SGR) which is an extreme manifestation of the activity of a highly magnetized neutron star (magnetar). This conclusion is confirmed by the energy spectrum atypically hard for cosmological gamma-ray bursts, as well as the absence of optical afterglow and gravitational wave signal, which should have been detected in the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA experiments if the burst was caused by a merger of binary neutron stars. The location of the burst in the $E_{p,i}$ -- $E_{iso}$ and $T_{90,i}$ -- $EH$ diagrams also suggests that GRB 231115A was a magnetar giant flare. This is the first well-localized giant flare of an extragalactic SGR., Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, accepted to Astronomy Letters at 2023 November 21

We present full photometric coverage and spectroscopic data for soft GRB 201015A with a redshift z = 0.426. Our data spans a time range of 85 days following the detection of GRB. These observations revealed an underlying supernova SN 201015A with a maximum at $8.54 \pm $1.48 days (rest frame) and an optical peak absolute magnitude $-19.45_{-0.47}^{+0.85}$ mag. The supernova stands out clearly, since the contribution of the afterglow at this time is not dominant, which made it possible to determine SN's parameters. A comparison of these parameters reveals that the SN 201015A is the earliest (the minimum $T_{max}$) known supernova associated with gamma-ray bursts. Spectroscopic observations during the supernova decay stage showed broad lines, indicating a large photospheric velocity, and identified this supernova as a type Ic-BL. Thus, the SN 201015A associated with the GRB 201015A becomes the 27th SN/GRB confirmed by both photometric and spectroscopic observations. Using the results of spectral analysis based on the available data of Fermi-GBM experiment, the parameters $E_\text{p,i} = 20.0 \pm 8.5$ keV and $E_\text{iso} = (1.1 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{50}$ erg were obtained. According to the position of the burst on the $E_\text{p,i}$-$E_\text{iso}$ correlation, GRB 201015A was classified as a Type II (long) gamma-ray burst, which was also confirmed by the $T_\text{90,i}$-$EH$ diagram., Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures

We have carried out a systematic analysis of the gamma-ray bursts' (GRBs) light curves detected in the SPI-ACS experiment onboard the INTEGRAL observatory aimed to search extended emission. The emission occasionally recorded after the prompt active phase of a GRB in the form of an emission that is longer than the active phase and less intense is called the extended one. Out of the 739 brightest GRBs recorded from 2002 to 2017, extended emission has been detected in $\sim20\%$ of the individual light curves; its maximum duration reaches $\sim 10000$ s. Two different types of extended emission have been revealed. One of them is an additional component of the light curve and is described by a power law (PL) with an index $\alpha \sim -1$ close to the PL index of the afterglow in the optical and X-ray bands. The second type can be described by a steeper PL decay of the light curve typical of the active burst phase. Extended emission has also been found in the combined light curve of long GRBs in the individual curves of which no extended emission has been detected. The PL index of the extended emission in the combined light curve is $\alpha \sim -2.4$. It is most likely associated with the superposition of light curves at the active phase; its total duration is $\sim 800$ s.

SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL is one of the most sensitive orbital gamma-ray detectors in energy range above 80 keV. Since 2002 it registered several thousands of gamma-ray bursts, including the bursts associated with LIGO-Virgo gravitational wave events GW 170817 and GW 190425. No dedicated in-flight calibrations were performed for SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL, complicating estimation of spectral and energetic characteristics of an event. Using data of GBM/Fermi we perform cross-calibration of SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL, based on 1032 bright GRBs registered by both experiments. We find the conversion factor between instrumental counts from SPI-ACS and energy units from GBM to be dependent on hardness of GRB spectrum (defined as the characteristic energy value, $E_{p}$) and on location of a source in spacecraft based coordinate system. We determine the corresponding analytical model to calculate the conversion factor and estimate its accuracy empirically. Sensitivity of SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL to detect gamma-ray transients is also investigated. Using the calibration we re-estimate energetics of GRB/GW 190425, detected by SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL alone. We constrain possible range of the characteristic energy $E_{p}$ and isotropic equivalent of total energy, emitted in gamma-rays $E_{iso}$ for GRB 190425, using the $ E_{p,i} $ -- $ E_{iso} $ (Amati) correlation. The calibration model could be applied to any transients with energy spectrum, analogous to gamma-ray bursts., Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, Accepted to MNRAS 2023 August 3, in original form 2023 June 23

We present the results of our analysis of multiwavelength observations for the long gamma-ray burst GRB 200829A. The burst redshift $z \approx 1.29 \pm 0.04$ has been determined photometrically at the afterglow phase. In gamma rays the event is one of the brightest (in isotropic equivalent), $E_{iso} \gtrsim 10^{54}$ erg. The multicolor light curve of the GRB 200829A afterglow is characterized by chromatic behavior and the presence of a plateau gradually transitioning into a power-law decay that can also be interpreted as a quasi-synchronous inhomogeneity (flare). We assume that the presence of a chromatic inhomogeneity in the early afterglow is consistent with the model of a structured jet., Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures

The RELEC scientific instrumentation onboard the Vernov spacecraft launched on July 8, 2014, included the DRGE gamma-ray and electron spectrometer. This instrument incorporates a set of scintillation phoswich detectors, including four identical X-ray and gamma-ray detectors in the energy range from 10 keV to 3 MeV with a total area of $\sim$500 $cm^{2}$ directed toward the nadir, and an electron spectrometer containing three mutually orthogonal detector units with a geometry factor of $\sim$2 $cm^{2} sr$, which is also sensitive to X-rays and gamma-rays. The goal of the space experiment with the DRGE instrument was to investigate phenomena with fast temporal variability, in particular, terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and magnetospheric electron precipitations. However, the detectors of the DRGE instrument could record cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and allowed one not only to perform a detailed analysis of the gamma-ray variability but also to compare the time profiles with the measurements made by other instruments of the RELEC scientific instrumentation (the detectors of optical and ultraviolet flashes, the radio-frequency and low-frequency analyzers of electromagnetic field parameters). We present the results of our observations of cosmic GRB 141011A and GRB 141104A, compare the parameters obtained in the GBM/Fermi and KONUSWind experiments, and estimate the redshifts and Eiso for the sources of these GRBs. The detectability of GRBs and good agreement between the independent estimates of their parameters obtained in various experiments are an important factor of the successful operation of similar detectors onboard the Lomonosov spacecraft., Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures

Multi-pulsed GRB 190530A, detected by the GBM and LAT onboard \fermi, is the sixth most fluent GBM burst detected so far. This paper presents the timing, spectral, and polarimetric analysis of the prompt emission observed using \AstroSat and \fermi to provide insight into the prompt emission radiation mechanisms. The time-integrated spectrum shows conclusive proof of two breaks due to peak energy and a second lower energy break. Time-integrated (55.43 $\pm$ 21.30 \%) as well as time-resolved polarization measurements, made by the Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI) onboard \AstroSat, show a hint of high degree of polarization. The presence of a hint of high degree of polarization and the values of low energy spectral index ($\alpha_{\rm pt}$) do not run over the synchrotron limit for the first two pulses, supporting the synchrotron origin in an ordered magnetic field. However, during the third pulse, $\alpha_{\rm pt}$ exceeds the synchrotron line of death in few bins, and a thermal signature along with the synchrotron component in the time-resolved spectra is observed. Furthermore, we also report the earliest optical observations constraining afterglow polarization using the MASTER (P $<$ 1.3 \%) and the redshift measurement ($z$= 0.9386) obtained with the 10.4m GTC telescopes. The broadband afterglow can be described with a forward shock model for an ISM-like medium with a wide jet opening angle. We determine a circumburst density of $n_{0} \sim$ 7.41, kinetic energy $E_{\rm K} \sim$ 7.24 $\times 10^{54}$ erg, and radiated $\gamma$-ray energy $E_{\rm \gamma, iso} \sim$ 6.05 $\times 10^{54}$ erg, respectively., Comment: 28 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are classified as long and short events. Long GRBs (LGRBs) are associated with the end states of very massive stars, while short GRBs (SGRBs) are linked to the merger of compact objects. GRB 200826A was a peculiar event, because by definition it was a SGRB, with a rest-frame duration of ~ 0.5 s. However, this event was energetic and soft, which is consistent with LGRBs. The relatively low redshift (z = 0.7486) motivated a comprehensive, multi-wavelength follow-up campaign to characterize its host, search for a possible associated supernova (SN), and thus understand the origin of this burst. To this aim we obtained a combination of deep near-infrared (NIR) and optical imaging together with spectroscopy. Our analysis reveals an optical and NIR bump in the light curve whose luminosity and evolution is in agreement with several LGRB-SNe. Analysis of the prompt GRB shows that this event follows the $E_{\rm p,i}-E_{\rm iso}$ relation found for LGRBs. The host galaxy is a low-mass star-forming galaxy, typical for LGRBs, but with one of the highest star-formation rates (SFR), especially with respect to its mass ($\log M_\ast/M_\odot = 8.6$, SFR $\sim 4.0 \,M_\odot$/yr). We conclude that GRB 200826A is a typical collapsar event in the low tail of the duration distribution of LGRBs. These findings support theoretical predictions that events produced by collapsars can be as short as 0.5 s in the host frame and further confirm that duration alone is not an efficient discriminator for the progenitor class of a GRB., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

A detailed analysis of the GBM/Fermi experiment data is carried out to classify GRB 200415A. It is shown that, on the one hand, this event exhibits typical for type I (short) gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) properties, such as duration, variability, and the character of spectral evolution (lag). On the other hand, the localization of the event source on the celestial plane, obtained by the triangulation method (IPN), indicates the nearby ($ D_L $ = 3.5 Mpc) galaxy NGC 253 (Sculptor) as a possible host galaxy for this burst. It introduces significant restrictions on the energetics of the event ($ E_{iso} $ $ \sim $ $ 10^{46} $ erg) and gives an alternative interpretation of GRB 200415A as a giant flare (GF) of a soft gamma repeater (SGR). This interpretation is supported by the atypically hard energy spectrum. In addition, according to the position of the burst on the $ E_{p, i} $ -- $ E_{iso} $ (the position of the maximum in the energy spectrum $ \nu F_{\nu} $ in the source frame depending on the isotropic equivalent of the total energy, emitted in gamma rays) and $ T_{90, i} $ -- $ EH $ (duration in the source frame depending on the combination of parameters $ EH = E_{p,i,2} ~ E_{iso,51}^{ ~ -0.4} $) diagrams, GRB 200415A is unambiguously classified as a giant flare of a magnetar, assuming its association with the galaxy NGC 253. In these diagrams, known giant flares in the Galaxy and candidates for giant flares in nearby galaxies form a well-defined group, which includes the GRB 200415A., Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy Letters

We present very early ground-based optical follow-up observations of GRB~140423A, which was discovered by \emph{Swift}/BAT and by {\it Fermi}/GBM. Its broadband afterglow was monitored by {\it Swift}/XRT and ground-based optical telescopes from $T_0+$70.96~s to 4.8~d after the {\it Swift}/BAT trigger. This is one more case of prompt optical emission observation. The temporal and spectral joint fit of the multiwavelength light curves of GRB 140423A reveals that achromatic behavior is consistent with the external shock model including a transition from a stellar wind to the interstellar medium (ISM) and energy injection. In terms of the optical light curves, there is an onset bump in the early afterglow with a rising index $\alpha_{\rm O,I} = -0.59 \pm 0.04$ (peaking at $t_{\rm peak}-T_0 \approx 206$~s). It then decays with a steep index $\alpha_{\rm O,II} = 1.78 \pm 0.03$, and shows a steeper to flatter "transition" with $\alpha_{\rm O,III} = 1.13 \pm 0.03$ at around $T_0 + 5000$~s. The observed X-ray afterglow reflects an achromatic behavior, as does the optical light curve. There is no obvious evolution of the spectral energy distribution between the X-ray and optical afterglow, with an average value of the photon index $\Gamma \approx 1.95$. This "transition" is consistent with an external shock model having the circumburst medium transition from a wind to the ISM, by introducing a long-lasting energy injection with a Lorentz factor stratification of the ejecta. The best parameters from Monte Carlo Markov Chain fitting are $E_{\rm K,iso} \approx 2.14\times10^{55}$ erg, $\Gamma_0 \approx 162$, $\epsilon_e \approx 0.02$, $\epsilon_B \approx 1.7\times10^{-6}$, $A_\ast \approx 1.0$, $R_t \approx 4.1\times10^{17}$ cm, $n \approx 11.0 \rm\ cm^{-3}$, $L_0 \approx 3.1\times10^{52} \rm\ erg\ s^{-1}$, $k \approx 1.98$, $s \approx 1.54$, and $\theta_j > 0.3$ rad., Comment: 30 pages, 6 fiures; Accepted for publication in ApJ

A systematic search for cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and other short hard X-ray events in the archival data from the IBIS/ISGRI telescope of the INTEGRAL observatory over 2003-2018 has been carried out. Seven previously unknown GRBs have been recorded in the telescope field of view; all of them have been localized with an accuracy < 2 arcmin. These events were not revealed by the INTEGRAL burst alert system (IBAS) designed for an automatic GRB search and alert. Four more such localized events missed by IBAS, but known previously, i.e., observed in other experiments, have been found. Eight hundred and eighty six GRBs outside the field of view that arrived at large angles to the IBIS/ISGRI axis have also been recorded. All of them were previously recorded in other experiments, primarily by the anticoincidence shield (ACS) of the SPI gamma-ray spectrometer onboard INTEGRAL, the PICsIT detector of the IBIS gamma-ray telescope, and the KONUS/WIND monitor. An order of magnitude more events without any confirmations in other experiments have been recorded. Both GRBs and solar flares or magnetospheric transient events can be among them. Catalogs with the basic parameters of confirmed and previously unknown GRBs recorded by IBIS/ISGRI have been compiled. The statistical distributions of bursts in various parameters have been constructed and investigated., Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables

Observations of the gravitational-wave (GW) event S190425z registered by the LIGO/Virgo detectors with the Anti-Coincidence Shield (ACS) of the gamma-ray spectrometer SPI aboard the INTEGRAL observatory are presented. With a high probability (>99%) it was associated with a neutron star (NS) merger in a close binary system. This is only the second event of such type in the history of GW observations (after GW170817). A weak gamma-ray burst, GRB190425, consisting of two pulses in ~0.5 and ~5.9 s after the NS merging in S190425z was detected by SPI-ACS. The pulses had a priori reliability of 3.5 and 4.4 sigma as single events and 5.5 sigma as a combined event. Analysis of the SPI-ACS count rate history recorded these days (~125 ks in total) has shown that the rate of appearance of two close pulses with characteristics of GRB190425 by chance does not exceed 6.4 x 10^{-5} s^{-1}. We note that the time profile of GRB190425 has a lot in common with the profile of the GRB170817A burst accompanying the GW170817 event; that both the NS mergers were the closest (<150 Mpc) of all the events registered by the LIGO/Virgo detectors; and that there were no confident excesses of gamma-ray emission over the background detected in any of >30 black hole merger events recorded to the moment by these detectors. No hard X-ray flares were detected in the field of view of the SPI and IBIS-ISGRI gamma-ray telescopes aboard INTEGRAL. This, as well as the lack of detection of gamma-ray emission from GRB190425 by the GBM monitor of the Fermi observatory assuming its occultation by the Earth, can significantly reduce the localization area for the source of this GW event. The estimates of the parameters E_{iso} and E_{p} for GRB190425 are obtained and compared with the similar parameters for GRB170817A., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables

We present the most extensive sample of 45 type I (short) and 275 type II (long) gamma-ray bursts (GRB) with known redshift to investigate the correlation between the rest frame peak energy, Ep,i and the total isotropic equivalent energy, Eiso of the prompt emission (Amati relation). The Ep,i - Eiso correlation for type I bursts is found to be well-distinguished from the one constructed for type II bursts and has a similar power-law index value, a = 0.4, which possibly indicates the same emission mechanism of both GRB types. We show that the initial pulse complex (IPC) of type I bursts with an extended emission and regular type I bursts follow the same correlation. We obtain similar results for type II bursts associated with Ic supernovae and for regular type II bursts. Three possible outliers from the Ep,i - Eiso correlation for type II subsample are detected. Significant evolution of the Ep,i - Eiso correlation with redshift for type II bursts is not found. We suggest the new classification method, based on the Ep,i - Eiso correlation and introduce two parameters, EH and EHD. EHD is found to be the most reliable parameter for the blind type I - type II classification, which can be used to classify GRBs with no redshift., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, Accepted to MNRAS 2019 December 18, in original form 2019 October 24

We propose a new method to detect gravitational waves, based on spatial coherence interferometry with stellar light, as opposed to the conventional temporal coherence interferometry with laser sources. The proposed method detects gravitational waves by using two coherent beams of light from a single distant star measured at separate space-based detectors with a long baseline. This method can be applied to either the amplitude or intensity interferometry. This experiment allows for the search of gravitational waves in the lower frequency range of $10^{-6}$ to $10^{-4}$ Hz. In this work, we present the detection sensitivity of the proposed stellar interferometer by taking the detector response and shot and acceleration noises into account. Furthermore, the proposed experimental setup is capable of searching for primordial black holes and studying the size of the target neutron star, which are also discussed in the paper., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures

We investigate the prompt emission and the afterglow properties of short duration gamma-ray burst (sGRB) 130603B and another eight sGRB events during 2012-2015, observed by several multi-wavelength facilities including the GTC 10.4m telescope. Prompt emission high energy data of the events were obtained by INTEGRAL/SPI/ACS, Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM satellites. The prompt emission data by INTEGRAL in the energy range of 0.1-10 MeV for sGRB 130603B, sGRB 140606A, sGRB 140930B, sGRB 141212A and sGRB 151228A do not show any signature of the extended emission or precursor activity and their spectral and temporal properties are similar to those seen in case of other short bursts. For sGRB130603B, our new afterglow photometric data constraints the pre jet-break temporal decay due to denser temporal coverage. For sGRB 130603B, the afterglow light curve, containing both our new as well as previously published photometric data is broadly consistent with the ISM afterglow model. Modeling of the host galaxies of sGRB 130603B and sGRB 141212A using the LePHARE software supports a scenario in which the environment of the burst is undergoing moderate star formation activity. From the inclusion of our late-time data for 8 other sGRBs we are able to; place tight constraints on the non-detection of the afterglow, host galaxy or any underlying kilonova emission. Our late-time afterglow observations of the sGRB 170817A/GW170817 are also discussed and compared with the sub-set of sGRBs., Comment: 24 pages, 22 figures, Accepted to MNRAS, 2019 February 19. Received 2019 February 19; in original form 2018 August 30

We discuss the inhomogeneous behavior of gamma-ray burst afterglow light curves in optic. We use well-sampled light curves based on mostly our own observations to find and identify deviations (inhomogeneities) from broken power law. By the inhomogeneous behavior we mean flashes, bumps,slow deviations from power law (wiggles) in a light curve. In particular we report parameters of broken power law, describe phenomenology, compare optical light curves with X-ray ones and classify the inhomogeneities. We show that the duration of the inhomogeneities correlates with their peak time relative to gamma-ray burst (GRB) trigger and the correlation is the same for all types of inhomogeneities., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables

We present our observations of electromagnetic transients associated with GW170817/GRB 170817A using optical telescopes of Chilescope observatory and Big Scanning Antenna (BSA) of Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory at 110MHz. The Chilescope observatory detected an optical transient of $\sim19^m$ on the third day in the outskirts of the galaxy NGC 4993; we continued observations following its rapid decrease. We put an upper limit of $1.5\times10^{4}$ Jy on any radio source with a duration of 10-60 s which may be associated with GW170817/GRB 170817A. The prompt gamma-ray emission consists of two distinctive components - a hard short pulse delayed by $\sim2$ seconds with respect to the LIGO signal and softer thermal pulse with $T\sim 10 $ keV lasting for another $\sim2$ seconds. The appearance of a thermal component at the end of the burst is unusual for short GRBs. Both the hard and the soft components do not satisfy the Amati relation, making GRB 170817A distinctively different from other short GRBs. Based on gamma-ray and optical observations, we develop a model for the prompt high-energy emission associated with GRB 170817A. The merger of two neutron stars creates an accretion torus of $\sim10^{-2} M_\odot$, which supplies the black hole with magnetic flux and confines the Blandford-Znajek-powered jet. We associate the hard prompt spike with the quasispherical breakout of the jet from the disk wind. As the jet plows through the wind with subrelativistic velocity, it creates a radiation-dominated shock that heats the wind material to tens of kiloelectron volts, producing the soft thermal component., Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures

We present optical observations of SN 2013dx, related to the Fermi burst GRB 130702A occurred at a redshift z = 0.145. It is the second-best sampled GRB-SN after SN~1998bw: the observational light curves contain more than 280 data points in uBgrRiz filters until 88 day after the burst, and the data were collected from our observational collaboration (Maidanak Observatory, Abastumani Observatory, Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Mondy Observatory, National Observatory of Turkey, Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos) and from the literature. We model numerically the multicolour light curves using the one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical code STELLA, previously widely implemented for the modelling of typical non-GRB SNe. The best-fitted model has the following parameters: pre-supernova star mass M = 25 M_Sun, mass of a compact remnant M_CR = 6 M_Sun, total energy of the outburst E_oburst = 3.5 x 10^(52) erg, pre-supernova star radius R = 100 R_Sun, M_56Ni = 0.2 M_Sun which is totally mixed through the ejecta; M_O = 16.6 M_Sun, M_Si = 1.2 M_Sun, and M_Fe = 1.2 M_Sun, and the radiative efficiency of the SN is 0.1 per cent., Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables, accepted to MNRAS

The ejecta composition is an open question in gamma-ray bursts (GRB) physics. Some GRBs possess a quasi-thermal spectral component in the time-resolved spectral analysis, suggesting a hot fireball origin. Others show a featureless non-thermal spectrum known as the "Band" function, consistent with a synchrotron radiation origin and suggesting that the jet is Poynting-flux-dominated at the central engine and likely in the emission region as well. There are also bursts showing a sub-dominant thermal component and a dominant synchrotron component suggesting a likely hybrid jet composition. Here we report an extraordinarily bright GRB 160625B, simultaneously observed in gamma-rays and optical wavelengths, whose prompt emission consists of three isolated episodes separated by long quiescent intervals, with the durations of each "sub-burst" being $\sim$ 0.8 s, 35 s, and 212 s, respectively. Its high brightness (with isotropic peak luminosity L$_{\rm p, iso}\sim 4\times 10^{53}$ erg/s) allows us to conduct detailed time-resolved spectral analysis in each episode, from precursor to main burst and to extended emission. The spectral properties of the first two sub-bursts are distinctly different, allowing us to observe the transition from thermal to non-thermal radiation between well-separated emission episodes within a single GRB. Such a transition is a clear indication of the change of jet composition from a fireball to a Poynting-flux-dominated jet., Comment: Revised version reflecting the referees' comments. 27 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. The final edited version will appear in Nature Astronomy

Electron-positron annihilation line from a Galactic center direction was discovered by the balloon-borne germanium gamma-ray telescope, and confirmed by OSSE experiment of CGRO mission. Extensive observations by INTEGRAL observatory permit to determine properties of the annihilation line from Galactic bulge. Possible sources of $e^{+}$ already discussed are supernovae explosions, microquasars, gamma-ray bursts, tidal disruption events, activity near black hole of Sgr A*, $e^{+}$ generation by subrelativistic cosmic rays, or even dark matter. One remarkable feature of the line emission is an absence of resolved point like sources. Any model should take into account this feature. We consider flares of low-mass stars as a possible cumulative $e^{+}$ source of the observed annihilation line from the bulge. Our estimations show that $e^{+}$ production by numerous flaring stars in Galaxy bulge can be significant, or even the main source of $e^{+}$ responsible for the annihilation line observed from the central part of our Galaxy.

We have analyzed the light curves of 519 short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected in the SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL experiment from December 2002 to May 2014 to search for precursors. Both the light curves of 519 individual events and the averaged light curve of 372 brightest bursts have been analyzed. In a few cases, we have found and thoroughly studied precursor candidates based on SPI-ACS/INTEGRAL, GBM/Fermi, and LAT/Fermi data. A statistical analysis of the averaged light curve for the entire sample of short bursts has revealed no regular precursor. Upper limits for the relative intensity of precursors have been estimated. No convincing evidence for the existence of precursors of short GRBs has been found. We show that the fraction of short GRBs with precursors is less than 0.4% of all short bursts., Comment: 33 pages, 11 figures

How black holes accrete surrounding matter is a fundamental, yet unsolved question in astrophysics. It is generally believed that matter is absorbed into black holes via accretion disks, the state of which depends primarily on the mass-accretion rate. When this rate approaches the critical rate (the Eddington limit), thermal instability is supposed to occur in the inner disc, causing repetitive patterns of large-amplitude X-ray variability (oscillations) on timescales of minutes to hours. In fact, such oscillations have been observed only in sources with a high mass accretion rate, such as GRS 1915+105. These large-amplitude, relatively slow timescale, phenomena are thought to have physical origins distinct from X-ray or optical variations with small amplitudes and fast ($\lesssim$10 sec) timescales often observed in other black hole binaries (e.g., XTE J1118+480 and GX 339-4). Here we report an extensive multi-colour optical photometric data set of V404 Cygni, an X-ray transient source containing a black hole of nine solar masses (and a conpanion star) at a distance of 2.4 kiloparsecs. Our data show that optical oscillations on timescales of 100 seconds to 2.5 hours can occur at mass-accretion rates more than ten times lower than previously thought. This suggests that the accretion rate is not the critical parameter for inducing inner-disc instabilities. Instead, we propose that a long orbital period is a key condition for these large-amplitude oscillations, because the outer part of the large disc in binaries with long orbital periods will have surface densities too low to maintain sustained mass accretion to the inner part of the disc. The lack of sustained accretion -- not the actual rate -- would then be the critical factor causing large-amplitude oscillations in long-period systems., Comment: Published in Nature on January 7th, 2016

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions in the universe, yet the nature and physical properties of their energy sources are far from understood. Very important clues, however, can be inferred by studying the afterglows of these events. We present optical and X-ray observations of GRB 130831A obtained by Swift, Chandra, Skynet, RATIR, Maidanak, ISON, NOT, LT and GTC. This burst shows a steep drop in the X-ray light-curve at $\simeq 10^5$ s after the trigger, with a power-law decay index of $\alpha \sim 6$. Such a rare behaviour cannot be explained by the standard forward shock (FS) model and indicates that the emission, up to the fast decay at $10^5$ s, must be of "internal origin", produced by a dissipation process within an ultrarelativistic outflow. We propose that the source of such an outflow, which must produce the X-ray flux for $\simeq 1$ day in the cosmological rest frame, is a newly born magnetar or black hole. After the drop, the faint X-ray afterglow continues with a much shallower decay. The optical emission, on the other hand, shows no break across the X-ray steep decrease, and the late-time decays of both the X-ray and optical are consistent. Using both the X-ray and optical data, we show that the emission after $\simeq 10^5$ s can be explained well by the FS model. We model our data to derive the kinetic energy of the ejecta and thus measure the efficiency of the central engine of a GRB with emission of internal origin visible for a long time. Furthermore, we break down the energy budget of this GRB into the prompt emission, the late internal dissipation, the kinetic energy of the relativistic ejecta, and compare it with the energy of the associated supernova, SN 2013fu., Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRAS. 21 pages, 3 figures, 8 tables. Extra table with magnitudes in the source

This paper describes outstanding issues in astrophysics and cosmology that can be solved by astronomical observations in a broad spectral range from far infrared to millimeter wavelengths. The discussed problems related to the formation of stars and planets, galaxies and the interstellar medium, studies of black holes and the development of the cosmological model can be addressed by the planned space observatory Millimetron (the "Spectr-M" project) equipped with a cooled 10-m mirror. Millimetron can operate both as a single-dish telescope and as a part of a space-ground interferometer with very long baseline., Comment: The translation of the original article in Physics Uspekhi http://ufn.ru/ru/articles/2014/12/c/

We present observations of the dark Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 051008 provided by Swift/BAT, Swift/XRT, Konus-WIND, INTEGRAL/SPI-ACS in the high-energy domain and the Shajn, Swift/UVOT, Tautenburg, NOT, Gemini and Keck I telescopes in the optical and near-infrared bands. The burst was detected only in gamma- and X-rays and neither a prompt optical nor a radio afterglow were detected down to deep limits. We identified the host galaxy of the burst, which is a typical Lyman-break Galaxy (LBG) with R-magnitude of 24.06 +/- 0.10. A redshift of the galaxy of z = 2.77 (-0.20,+0.15) is measured photometrically due to the presence of a clear, strong Lyman-break feature. The host galaxy is a small starburst galaxy with moderate intrinsic extinction (A_V = 0.3 mag) and has a SFR of ~ 60 M_Sun / yr typical for LBGs. It is one of the few cases where a GRB host has been found to be a classical Lyman-break galaxy. Using the redshift we estimate the isotropic-equivalent radiated energy of the burst to be E_iso = (1.15 +/- 0.20) x 10^54 erg. We also provide evidence in favour of the hypothesis that the darkness of GRB 051008 is due to local absorption resulting from a dense circumburst medium., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures Accepted to MNRAS

We analyzed data obtained by the SPI telescope onboard the INTEGRAL observatory to search for short transient events with a duration from 1 ms to a few tens of seconds. An algorithm for identifying gamma-ray events against the background of a large number of charged particle interactions with the detector has been developed. The classification of events was made. Apart from the events associated with cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) confirmed by other space experiments and the activity of known soft gamma repeaters (for example, SGR 1806-20), previously unreported GRBs have been found. GRB candidates and short gamma-ray events probably associated with the activity of known SGRs and AXPs have been selected. The spectral evolution of 28 bright GRBs from the catalog has been studied extensively. A new method for investigating the spectral evolution is proposed. The energy dependence of the spectral lag for bursts with a simple structure of their light curves and for individual pulses of multipulse events is shown to be described by a logarithmic function, lag ~ A*log(E). It has been established that the parameter A depends on the pulse duration, with the dependence being universal for all of the investigated GRBs. No negative spectral lags have been detected for bursts with a simple structure of their light curves., Comment: 60 pages, 17 figures, 9 tables

We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) photometry for three gamma-ray burst supernovae (GRB-SNe): GRB 120729A, GRB 130215A / SN 2013ez and GRB 130831A / SN 2013fu. In the case of GRB 130215A / SN 2013ez, we also present optical spectroscopy at t-t0=16.1 d, which covers rest-frame 3000-6250 Angstroms. Based on Fe II (5169) and Si (II) (6355), our spectrum indicates an unusually low expansion velocity of 4000-6350 km/s, the lowest ever measured for a GRB-SN. Additionally, we determined the brightness and shape of each accompanying SN relative to a template supernova (SN 1998bw), which were used to estimate the amount of nickel produced via nucleosynthesis during each explosion. We find that our derived nickel masses are typical of other GRB-SNe, and greater than those of SNe Ibc that are not associated with GRBs. For GRB 130831A / SN 2013fu, we use our well-sampled R-band light curve (LC) to estimate the amount of ejecta mass and the kinetic energy of the SN, finding that these too are similar to other GRB-SNe. For GRB 130215A, we take advantage of contemporaneous optical/NIR observations to construct an optical/NIR bolometric LC of the afterglow. We fit the bolometric LC with the millisecond magnetar model of Zhang & Meszaros (2001), which considers dipole radiation as a source of energy injection to the forward shock powering the optical/NIR afterglow. Using this model we derive an initial spin period of P=12 ms and a magnetic field of B=1.1 x 10^15 G, which are commensurate with those found for proposed magnetar central engines of other long-duration GRBs., Comment: Archive copy - 24 pages, 12 Figures, 3 Tables. Submitted to A&A

Events such as GRB130606A at z=5.91, offer an exciting new window into pre-galactic metal enrichment in these very high redshift host galaxies. We study the environment and host galaxy of GRB 130606A, a high-z event, in the context of a high redshift population of GRBs. We have obtained multiwavelength observations from radio to gamma-ray, concentrating particularly on the X-ray evolution as well as the optical photometric and spectroscopic data analysis. With an initial Lorentz bulk factor in the range \Gamma_0 ~ 65-220, the X-ray afterglow evolution can be explained by a time-dependent photoionization of the local circumburst medium, within a compact and dense environment. The host galaxy is a sub-DLA (log N (HI) = 19.85+/-0.15), with a metallicity content in the range from ~1/7 to ~1/60 of solar. Highly ionized species (N V and Si IV) are also detected. This is the second highest redshift burst with a measured GRB-DLA metallicity and only the third GRB absorber with sub-DLA HI column density. GRB ' lighthouses' therefore offer enormous potential as backlighting sources to probe the ionization and metal enrichment state of the IGM at very high redshifts for the chemical signature of the first generation of stars., Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, submitted to A&A. Typos corrected

We present multiwavelength observations of the afterglow of GRB 130427A, the brightest (in total fluence) gamma-ray burst of the past 29 years. Optical spectroscopy from Gemini-North reveals the redshift of the GRB to be z=0.340, indicating that its unprecedented brightness is primarily the result of its relatively close proximity to Earth; the intrinsic luminosities of both the GRB and its afterglow are not extreme in comparison to other bright GRBs. We present a large suite of multiwavelength observations spanning from 300 s to 130 d after the burst and demonstrate that the afterglow shows relatively simple, smooth evolution at all frequencies with no significant late-time flaring or rebrightening activity. The entire dataset from 1 GHz to 10 GeV can be modeled as synchrotron emission from a combination of reverse and forward shocks in good agreement with the standard afterglow model, providing strong support to the applicability of the underlying theory and clarifying the nature of the GeV emission observed to last for minutes to hours following other very bright GRBs. A tenuous, wind-stratified circumburst density profile is required by the observations, suggesting a massive-star progenitor with a low mass-loss rate, perhaps due to low metallicity. GRBs similar in nature to GRB 130427A, inhabiting low-density media and exhibiting strong reverse shocks, are probably not uncommon but may have been difficult to recognize in the past due to their relatively faint late-time radio emission; more such events should be found in abundance by the new generation of sensitive radio and millimeter instruments., Comment: Accepted to ApJ. Light curves and SEDs are available at http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~dperley/grb/130427a/data/

We investigated the dependence of spectral lag on energy band based on 28 bright GRBs detected by the SPI and IBIS/ISGRI instruments on the INTEGRAL observatory. It is found that for simple structured bursts or well separated pulses of multi-pulse bursts the spectral lag can be approximated by the relation t=Alog(E), where A is a positive parameter, which correlates with pulse duration. We have not found any negative lag in simple structured bursts or in well separated pulses. While investigating the time profile of the whole burst negative lag may appear due to different spectral parameters of the pulses., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of "An INTEGRAL view of the high-energy sky (the first 10 years)" the 9th INTEGRAL Workshop, October 15-19, 2012, Paris, France, in Proceedings of Science (INTEGRAL 2012), Eds. A. Goldwurm, F. Lebrun and C. Winkler, (http://pos.sissa.it/cgi-bin/reader/conf.cgi?confid=176), id 127

For Gamma-Ray Burst 100901A, we have obtained Gemini-North and Very Large Telescope optical afterglow spectra at four epochs: one hour, one day, three days and one week after the burst, thanks to the afterglow remaining unusually bright at late times. Apart from a wealth of metal resonance lines, we also detect lines arising from fine-structure levels of the ground state of Fe II, and from metastable levels of Fe II and Ni II at the host redshift (z = 1.4084). These lines are found to vary significantly in time. The combination of the data and modelling results shows that we detect the fall of the Ni II 4 F9/2 metastable level population, which to date has not been observed. Assuming that the population of the excited states is due to the UV-radiation of the afterglow, we estimate an absorber distance of a few hundred pc. This appears to be a typical value when compared to similar studies. We detect two intervening absorbers (z = 1.3147, 1.3179). Despite the wide temporal range of the data, we do not see significant variation in the absorption lines of these two intervening systems., Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures. Accepted by Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on Jan 11th 2013

The energy injection model is usually proposed to interpret the shallow-decay phase in Swift GRB X-ray afterglows. However, very few GRBs have simultaneous signatures of energy injection in their optical and X-ray afterglows. Here, we report optical observations of GRB 090529A from 2000 sec to $\sim10^6$ sec after the burst, in which an achromatic decay is seen at both wavelengths. The optical light curve shows a decay from 0.37 to 0.99 with a break at $\sim10^5$ sec. In the same time interval, the decay indices of the X-ray light curve changed from 0.04 to 1.2. Comparing these values with the closure relations, the segment after 3$\times10^{4}$ sec is consistent with the prediction of the forward shock in an ISM medium without any energy injection. The shallow-decay phase between 2000 to 3$\times10^{4}$ sec could be due to the external shock in a wind-type-like medium with an energy injection under the condition of $\nu_o < \nu_c < \nu_x$. However, the constraint of the spectral region is not well consistent with the multi-band observations. For this shallow-decay phase, other models are also possible, such as energy injection with evolving microphysical parameters, or a jet viewed off-axis,etc., Comment: 19pages,2gigures, accepted by MNRAS

We present a comprehensive analysis of a bright, long duration (T90 ~ 257 s) GRB 110205A at redshift z= 2.22. The optical prompt emission was detected by Swift/UVOT, ROTSE-IIIb and BOOTES telescopes when the GRB was still radiating in the gamma-ray band. Nearly 200 s of observations were obtained simultaneously from optical, X-ray to gamma-ray, which makes it one of the exceptional cases to study the broadband spectral energy distribution across 6 orders of magnitude in energy during the prompt emission phase. By fitting the time resolved prompt spectra, we clearly identify, for the first time, an interesting two-break energy spectrum, roughly consistent with the standard GRB synchrotron emission model in the fast cooling regime. Although the prompt optical emission is brighter than the extrapolation of the best fit X/gamma-ray spectra, it traces the gamma-ray light curve shape, suggesting a relation to the prompt high energy emission. The synchrotron + SSC scenario is disfavored by the data, but the models invoking a pair of internal shocks or having two emission regions can interpret the data well. Shortly after prompt emission (~ 1100 s), a bright (R = 14.0) optical emission hump with very steep rise (alpha ~ 5.5) was observed which we interpret as the emission from the reverse shock. It is the first time that the rising phase of a reverse shock component has been closely observed. The full optical and X-ray afterglow lightcurves can be interpreted within the standard reverse shock (RS) + forward shock (FS) model. In general, the high quality prompt emission and afterglow data allow us to apply the standard fireball shock model to extract valuable information about the GRB including the radiation mechanism, radius of prompt emission R, initial Lorentz factor of the outflow, the composition of the ejecta, as well as the collimation angle and the total energy budget., Comment: Accepted by ApJ

We report the detection of a faint optical flash by the 2-m Faulkes Telescope North simultaneously with the second of two prompt gamma-ray pulses in INTEGRAL gamma-ray burst (GRB) 080603A, beginning at t_rest = 37 s after the onset of the GRB. This optical flash appears to be distinct from the subsequent emerging afterglow emission, for which we present comprehensive broadband radio to X-ray light curves to 13 days post-burst and rigorously test the standard fireball model. The intrinsic extinction toward GRB 080603A is high (A_V,z = 0.8 mag), and the well-sampled X-ray-to-near-infrared spectral energy distribution is interesting in requiring an LMC2 extinction profile, in contrast to the majority of GRBs. Comparison of the gamma-ray and extinction-corrected optical flux densities of the flash rules out an inverse-Compton origin for the prompt gamma-rays; instead, we suggest that the optical flash could originate from the inhomogeneity of the relativistic flow. In this scenario, a large velocity irregularity in the flow produces the prompt gamma-rays, followed by a milder internal shock at a larger radius that would cause the optical flash. Flat gamma-ray spectra, roughly F propto nu^-0.1, are observed in many GRBs. If the flat spectrum extends down to the optical band in GRB 080603A, the optical flare could be explained as the low-energy tail of the gamma-ray emission. If this is indeed the case, it provides an important clue to understanding the nature of the emission process in the prompt phase of GRBs and highlights the importance of deep (R> 20 mag), rapid follow-up observations capable of detecting faint, prompt optical emission., Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRAS

Until now the existence of extended emission is an intriguing property of short bursts. It is not clear what is the nature of the extended emission. It might be a rising x-ray afterglow, or it could be a manifestation of the prolonged activity of a central engine. We consider short duration gamma-ray bursts, emphasizing the common properties of short bursts and short burst with extended emission. Assuming that the extended emission with broad dynamic range is a common property of short bursts, we propose a two jet model which can describe both short main episode of hard spectra emission, specific for short bursts, and softer spectra extended emission by different off axis position of observer. The toy model involves a short duration jet powered by heating due to $\nu\tilde{\nu}$ annihilation and long-lived Blandford-Znajek jet with significantly narrow opening angle. Our proposed model is a plausible mechanism for short duration burst energization, and can explain both short burst with and without extended emission within a single class of progenitor., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We analyze uncertainties in the cosmic X-ray background measurements performed by the INTEGRAL observatory. We find that the most important effect limiting the accuracy of the measurements is related to the intrinsic background variation in detectors. Taking into account all of the uncertainties arising during the measurements we conclude that the X-ray background intensity obtained in the INTEGRAL observations is compatible with the historic X-ray background observations performed by the HEAO-1 satellite., Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science

The short duration (T90 < 2 s) gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected in the SPI-ACS experiment onboard the INTEGRAL observatory are investigated. Averaged light curves have been constructed for various groups of events, including short GRBs and unidentified short events. Extended emission has been found in the averaged light curves of both short GRBs and unidentified short events. It is shown that the fraction of the short GRBs in the total number of SPI-ACS GRBs can range from 30 to 45%, which is considerably larger than has been thought previously., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures

We present optical photometry of the GRB 060912A afterglow obtained with ground-based telescopes, from about 100 sec after the GRB trigger till about 0.3 day later, supplemented with the Swift optical afterglow data released in its official website. The optical light curve (LC) displays a smooth single power-law decay throughout the observed epochs, with a power-law index of about -1 and no significant color evolution. This is in contrast to the X-ray LC which has a plateau phase between two normal power-law decays of a respective index of about -1 and -1.2. It is shown by our combined X-ray and optical data analysis that this asynchronous behavior is difficult to be reconciled with the standard afterglow theory and energy injection hypothesis. We also construct an optical-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution at about 700 sec after the GRB trigger. It displays a significant flux depression in the B-band, reminding us of the possibility of a host-galaxy (at z=0.937) 2175-A dust absorption similar to the one that characterizes the Milky Way extinction law. Such an identification, although being tentative, may be confirmed by our detailed analysis using both template extinction laws and the afterglow theory. So far the feature is reported in very few GRB afterglows. Most seem to have a host galaxy either unusually bright for a GRB, just like this one, or of an early type, supporting the general suggestion of an anti-correlation between the feature and star-forming activities., Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, submitted to ApJ

In this work, we present the results obtained from a multi-wavelength campaign, as well as from the public Swift/BAT, XRT, and UVOT data of GRB 060111B for which a bright optical emission was measured with good temporal resolution during the prompt phase. We identified the host galaxy at R~25 mag; its featureless spectral continuum and brightness, as well as the non-detection of any associated supernova 16 days after the trigger and other independent redshift estimates, converge to z~1-2. From the analysis of the early afterglow SED, we find that non-negligible host galaxy dust extinction, in addition to the Galactic one, affects the observed flux in the optical regime. The extinction-corrected optical-to-gamma-ray spectral energy distribution during the prompt emission shows a flux density ratio $F_{\gamma}/F_{opt}$=0.01-0.0001 with spectral index $\beta_{\gamma,opt}> \beta_{\gamma}$, strongly suggesting a separate origin of the optical and gamma-ray components. This result is supported by the lack of correlated behavior in the prompt emission light curves observed in the two energy domains. The properties of the prompt optical emission observed during GRB 060111B favor interpretation of this optical light as radiation from the reverse shock in a thick shell limit and in the slow cooling regime. The expected peak flux is consistent with the observed one corrected for the host extinction, likely indicating that the starting time of the TAROT observations is very near to or coincident with the peak time. The estimated fireball initial Lorentz factor is >260-360 at z=1-2, similar to the Lorentz factors obtained from other GRBs. GRB 060111B is a rare, good test case of the reverse shock emission mechanism in both the X-ray and optical energy ranges., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 15 pages,10 figures and 7 tables

We present observations of the afterglow of GRB 080319B at optical, mm and radio frequencies from a few hours to 67 days after the burst. Present observations along with other published multi-wavelength data have been used to study the light-curves and spectral energy distributions of the burst afterglow. The nature of this brightest cosmic explosion has been explored based on the observed properties and it's comparison with the afterglow models. Our results show that the observed features of the afterglow fits equally good with the Inter Stellar Matter and the Stellar Wind density profiles of the circum-burst medium. In case of both density profiles, location of the maximum synchrotron frequency $\nu_m$ is below optical and the value of cooling break frequency $\nu_c$ is below $X-$rays, $\sim 10^{4}$s after the burst. Also, the derived value of the Lorentz factor at the time of naked eye brightness is $\sim 300$ with the corresponding blast wave size of $\sim 10^{18}$ cm. The numerical fit to the multi-wavelength afterglow data constraints the values of physical parameters and the emission mechanism of the burst., Comment: 8 Pages, 3 Figures, Accepted for publication to Astronomy and Astrophysics on 02/04/2009

We present a comprehensive multiwavelength temporal and spectral analysis of the FRED GRB 070419A. The early-time emission in the $\gamma$-ray and X-ray bands can be explained by a central engine active for at least 250 s, while at late times the X-ray light curve displays a simple power-law decay. In contrast, the observed behaviour in the optical band is complex (from 10$^2$ up to 10$^6$ s). We investigate the light curve behaviour in the context of the standard forward/reverse shock model; associating the peak in the optical light curve at $\sim$450 s with the fireball deceleration time results in a Lorenz factor $\Gamma \approx 350$ at this time. In contrast, the shallow optical decay between 450 and 1500 s remains problematic, requiring a reverse shock component whose typical frequency is above the optical band at the optical peak time for it to be explained within the standard model. This predicts an increasing flux density for the forward shock component until t $\sim$ 4 $\times$ 10$^6$ s, inconsistent with the observed decay of the optical emission from t $\sim$ 10$^4$ s. A highly magnetized fireball is also ruled out due to unrealistic microphysic parameters and predicted light curve behaviour that is not observed. We conclude that a long-lived central engine with a finely tuned energy injection rate and a sudden cessation of the injection is required to create the observed light curves - consistent with the same conditions that are invoked to explain the plateau phase of canonical X-ray light curves of GRBs., Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS