Possible Gamma-Ray Burst radio detections by the Square Kilometre Array. New perspectives

Abstract

The next generation interferometric radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will be the most sensitive and largest radio telescope ever constructed, could greatly contribute to the detection, survey and characterization of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). By the SKA, it will be possible to perform the follow up of GRBs even for several months. This approach would be extremely useful to extend the Spectrum Energetic Distribution (SED) from the gamma to the to radio band and would increase the number of radio detectable GRBs. In principle, the SKA could help to understand the physics of GRBs by setting constraints on theoretical models. This goal could be achieved by taking into account multiple observations at different wavelengths in order to obtain a deeper insight of the sources. Here, we present an estimation of GRB radio detections, showing that the GRBs can really be observed by the SKA. The approach that we present consists in determining blind detection rates derived by a very large sample consisting of merging several GRB catalogues observed by current missions as Swift, Fermi, Agile and INTEGRAL and by previous missions as BeppoSAX, CGRO, GRANAT, HETE-2, Ulysses and Wind. The final catalogue counts 7516 distinct sources. We compute the fraction of GRBs that could be observed by the SKA at high and low frequencies, above its observable sky. Considering the planned SKA sensitivity and through an extrapolation based on previous works and observations, we deduce the minimum fluence in the range 15-150 keV. This is the energy interval where a GRB should emit to be detectable in the radio band by the SKA. Results seem consistent with observational capabilities.

The complete Table2 with 7516 objects is in the VizieR catalogue database of the CDS: http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR?-source=IX/51 (details in the Appendix A of the paper)

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• The Fermi GBM Gamma-Ray Burst Spectral Catalog: Four Years Of Data
• The 2nd Fermi GBM Gamma-Ray Burst Catalog: The First Four Years
• A statistical study of gamma-ray burst afterglows measured by the Swift Ultra-violet Optical Telescope
• Probing the Bright Radio Flare and Afterglow of GRB 130427A with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager
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Cited by in corpus (4)

• A comprehensive statistical study on gamma-ray bursts
• Revisiting the statistical isotropy of GRB sky distribution
• Machine learning and Kolmogorov analysis to reveal gravitational lenses
• Diagnosing Circumburst Environment with Multiband Gamma-Ray Burst Radio Afterglows