English

INTEGRAL observations of GW170104

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2017-09-13 v2

Abstract

We used data from the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) to set upper-limits on the γ{\gamma}-ray and hard X-ray prompt emission associated with the gravitational wave event GW170104, discovered by the LIGO/Virgo collaboration. The unique omni-directional viewing capability of the instruments on-board INTEGRAL allowed us to examine the full 90% confidence level localization region of the LIGO trigger. Depending on the particular spectral model assumed and the specific position within this region, the upper limits inferred from the INTEGRAL observations range from Fγ{\gamma}=1.9x10-7 erg cm-2 to Fγ{\gamma}=10-6 erg cm-2 (75 keV - 2 MeV energy range). This translates into a ratio between the prompt energy released in γ{\gamma}-rays along the direction to the observer and the gravitational wave energy of Eγ{\gamma}/EGW <2.6x10-5 . Using the INTEGRAL results, we can not confirm the γ{\gamma}-ray proposed counterpart to GW170104 by the AGILE team with the MCAL instrument. The reported flux of the AGILE/MCAL event, E2, is not compatible with the INTEGRAL upper limits within most of the 90% LIGO localization region. There is only a relatively limited portion of the sky where the sensitivity of the INTEGRAL instruments was not optimal and the lowest allowed fluence estimated for E2 would still be compatible with the INTEGRAL results. This region was also observed independently by Fermi/GBM and AstroSAT, from which, as far as we are aware, there are no reports of any significant detection of a prompt high-energy event.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1707.03719,
  title  = {INTEGRAL observations of GW170104},
  author = {V. Savchenko and C. Ferrigno and E. Bozzo and A. Bazzano and S. Brandt and J. Chenevez and T. J. -L. Courvoisier and R. Diehl and L. Hanlon and A. von Kienlin and E. Kuulkers and P. Laurent and F. Lebrun and A. Lutovinov and A. Martin-Carillo and S. Mereghetti and J. P. Roques and R. Sunyaev and P. Ubertini},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1707.03719},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

accepted for publication in ApJL