GRB 010921: Strong Limits on an Underlying Supernova from HST

Abstract

GRB 010921 was the first HETE-2 GRB to be localized via its afterglow emission. The low-redshift of the host galaxy, z=0.451, prompted us to undertake intensive multi-color observations with the Hubble Space Telescope with the goal of searching for an underlying supernova component. We do not detect any coincident supernova to a limit 1.34 mag fainter than SN 1998bw at 99.7% confidence, making this one of the most sensitive searches for an underlying SN. Analysis of the afterglow data allow us to infer that the GRB was situated behind a net extinction (Milky Way and the host galaxy) of A_V ~ 1.8 mag in the observer frame. Thus, had it not been for such heavy extinction our data would have allowed us to probe for an underlying SN with brightness approaching those of more typical Type Ib/c supernovae.

18 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters

References in corpus (29)

• Beaming in Gamma-Ray Bursts: Evidence for a Standard Energy Reservoir
• Supernovae, Jets, and Collapsars
• The Observed Offset Distribution of Gamma-Ray Bursts from Their Host Galaxies: A Robust Clue to the Nature of the Progenitors
• Wind Interaction Models for Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows: The Case for Two Types of Progenitors
• The prompt energy release of gamma-ray bursts using a cosmological k-correction
• The Charge Transfer Efficiency and Calibration of WFPC2
• Observation of X-ray lines from a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB991216): Evidence of Moving Ejecta from the Progenitor
• High column densities and low extinctions of gamma-ray bursts: Evidence for hypernovae and dust destruction
• GRB 970228 Revisited: Evidence for a Supernova in the Light Curve and La te Spectral Energy Distribution of the Afterglow
• The Signature of Supernova Ejecta Measured in the X-ray Afterglow of Gamma-Ray Burst 011211
• Evidence for a supernova in reanalyzed optical and near-infrared images of GRB970228
• Detection of a supernova signature associated with GRB 011121
• The Afterglow and the Host Galaxy of the Dark Burst GRB 970828
• The bright Gamma-Ray Burst of February 10, 2000: a case study of an optically dark GRB
• GRB 011121: A Massive Star Progenitor
• The extraordinarily bright optical afterglow of GRB 991208 and its host galaxy
• SupraNova Events from Spun-up Neutron Stars: an Explosion in Search of an Observation
• GRB 991216 Joins the Jet Set: Discovery and Monitoring of its Optical Afterglow
• The Host Galaxy of GRB980703 at Radio Wavelengths - a Nuclear Starburst in a ULIRG
• GRB 010222: A Burst Within a Starburst
• The optical afterglow of GRB 000911: evidence for an associated supernova?
• GRB 000418: A Hidden Jet Revealed?
• Multi-Color Observations of the GRB000926 Afterglow
• The Host Galaxy and Optical Light Curve of the Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 980703
• The Jet and the Supernova in GRB990712
• The Luminous Type Ic SN 1992ar at z=0.145
• RJK Observations of the Optical Afterglow of GRB 991216
• LOTIS, Super-LOTIS, SDSS and Tautenburg Observations of GRB 010921
• Evidence for a Supernova in the Ic Band Light Curve of the Optical Transient of GRB 970508

Cited by in corpus (24)

• GRB Energetics and the GRB Hubble Diagram: Promises and Limitations
• Signatures of Extragalactic Dust in pre-Swift GRB Afterglows
• A Systematic Analysis of Supernova Light in Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows
• Towards a More Standardized Candle Using GRB Energetics and Spectra
• The Konus-Wind catalog of gamma-ray bursts with known redshifts. I. Bursts detected in the triggered mode
• Gamma-ray burst progenitors
• An HST Search for Supernovae Accompanying X-ray Flashes
• The Radio and X-ray Luminous Type Ibc Supernova 2003L
• Discovery of GRB 020405 and its Late Red Bump
• GRB 020410: A Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow Discovered by its Supernova Light
• Afterglow Observations Shed New Light on the Nature of X-ray Flashes
• The clustering of the luminosities of optical afterglows of long Gamma Ray Bursts
• An HST Study of the Supernovae Accompanying GRB 040924 and GRB 041006
• Selection Effects on the Observed Redshift Dependence of GRB Jet Opening Angles
• Optical and NIR Observations of the Afterglow of GRB 020813
• Late-epoch optical and near-infrared observations of the GRB000911 afterglow and its host galaxy
• Nucleosynthesis of 56Ni in wind-driven Supernova Explosions and Constraints on the Central Engine of Gamma-Ray Bursts
• Constraints on Very High Energy gamma-ray emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts
• A Failed Gamma-Ray Burst with Dirty Energetic Jets Spirited Away? New Implications for the GRB-SN Connection from Supernova 2002ap
• The quest for new correlations in the realm of the Gamma-Ray Burst -- Supernova connection
• A Deep Search with HST for Late Time Supernova Signatures in the Hosts of XRF 011030 and XRF 020427
• Delayed Flashes from Counter Jets of Gamma Ray Bursts
• Testing Gamma-Ray Burst Jet Structure with the Distribution of Gamma-Ray Energy Release
• Optical Bumps in Cosmological GRBs as Supernovae