Giant flare of SGR 1806-20 from a relativistic jet

Abstract

Japanese magnetospheric explorer GEOTAIL recorded a detailed light curve during the initial 600 msec of a giant flare from SGR 1806-20 on December 27, 2004. We show that the observed light curve is well explained by an emission from relativistically expanding fireballs, like those of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Especially, the observed rapid fading after 500msec suggests that ejecta is collimated in a jet. We derive an upper limit on the jet opening half-angle of 0.2 radian that is as narrow as those of GRBs.

4 pages, 2 figures, accepted by Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan (PASJ)

References in corpus (8)

• The Physics of Gamma-Ray Bursts
• Gamma-Ray Bursts: Progress, Problems & Prospects
• An exceptionally bright flare from SGR1806-20 and the origins of short-duration gamma-ray bursts
• Gamma-Ray Observations of a Giant Flare from The Magnetar SGR 1806-20
• An expanding radio nebula produced by a giant flare from the magnetar SGR 1806-20
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• An energetic blast wave from the December 27 giant flare of the soft gamma-ray repeater 1806-20

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• Tail Emission of Prompt Gamma-Ray Burst Jets
• Uniting the Quiescent Emission and Burst Spectra of Magnetar Candidates
• Possibility of Ultra High-Energy Cosmic Rays from the Giant Flare in SGR 1806-20
• A Two-Component Explosion Model for the Giant Flare and Radio Afterglow from SGR1806-20
• Fireball and cannonball models of gamma ray bursts confront observations
• Astrophysics in 2005
• Diffuse high energy neutrinos and cosmic rays from hyperflares of soft-gamma repeaters
• Consequences of Energetic Magnetar-Like Outbursts of Nearby Neutron Stars: ${}^{14}$C Events and the Cosmic Electron Spectrum
• The Giant Flare from SGR 1806-20 and its Radio Afterglow
• The Swift Discovery of X-ray Afterglows Accompanying Short Bursts from SGR 1900+14
• Gravitational Wave Memory from Accelerating Relativistic Jets in Multiple Thick Shell Scenarios
• Hyperstars - Main Origin of Short Gamma Ray Bursts?