Major Change in Understanding of GRBs at TeV

Abstract

Long-duration GRBs are the most luminous sources of electromagnetic radiation known in the Universe. Their initial prompt flashes of MeV gamma rays are followed by longer-lasting afterglow emission from radio waves to GeV gamma rays. Emission at TeV energies had been theoretically predicted, but never confirmed by observations. Here we report the detection of a huge signal from GRB 190114C in the TeV energy range by the MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Starting one minute after the onset of the burst, gamma rays in the energy range 0.2 -1 TeV were observed at more than 50 sigma level. This allowed us to study the spectral and temporal development of the GRB, revealing a new emission component in the afterglow with a power comparable to that of the synchrotron component. We found a second peak in the spectral energy distribution of the GRB at an energy of few hundred GeVs. Our modeling, based on the data from the two dozen space- and ground-based instruments that followed GRB 190114C at multiple wavelengths, supports the explanation that the second peak is due to the Inverse Compton radiation mechanism. The two-peaked structure of the spectral energy distribution allows us to constrain some of the key physical parameters of the GRB as the bulk Lorentz factor, minimal electron energy, the ratio of the radiation to magnetic field density. Recently also the H.E.S.S. imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope reported on a 5 sigma gamma-ray signal from the GRB 180720B, measured in the afterglow phase, 10 hours after the onset of the explosion. These observations prove that the GRBs are more powerful than assumed until recently. Because the observed GRBs did not show peculiar properties, we believe that from now on detection of gamma-ray signal from GRB afterglows at very high energies will become one of the standard observations.

arXiv comment18 pages, 8 figures, Proceedings of the highlight presentation at the 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference in Madison, WI, USA, 24 July - 1 August 2019

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