Infrared Imaging of GRB 970508

May 1998 • 1998ApJ...498L...9C

Authors • 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 K_s 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.

Primarily based on observations at the W. M. Keck Observatory.

Links

• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=1998ApJ...498L...9C
• PDF https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/311307/pdf
• NED https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/uri/NED::InRefcode/1998ApJ...498L...9C
• ELECTR https://doi.org/10.1086%2F311307