Gamma-ray Burst UV/optical afterglow polarimetry as a probe of Quantum Gravity

Abstract

A possible birefringence effect that arises in quantum gravity leads to a frequency-dependent rotation of the polarization angle of linearly polarized emission from distant sources. Here we use the UV/optical polarization data of the afterglows of GRB 020813 and GRB 021004 to constrain this effect. We find an upper limit on the Gambini & Pulin birefringence parameter $|\eta |<2\times 10^{-7}$. This limit is of 3 orders better than the previous limits from observations of AGNs and of the Crab pulsar. Much stronger limits may be obtained by the future observation of polarization of the prompt $\gamma$-rays.

typos corrected

References in corpus (5)

• Gamma-Ray Burst Polarization: Limits from RHESSI Measurements
• Evidence of polarisation in the prompt gamma-ray emission from GRB 930131 and GRB 960924
• POLAR, a compact detector for Gamma Ray Bursts photon polarization measurements
• Gamma Ray Burst Constraints on Ultraviolet Lorentz Invariance Violation
• Gamma Ray Bursts as Probes of Quantum Gravity

Cited by in corpus (3)

• GLAST and Lorentz violation
• Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur
• The Hard X-ray Polarimeter X-Calibur - Design and Tests