Related papers: Forming a constant density medium close to long ga…

We calculate the {\it afterglow} emission for Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) going off in an extremely low density medium, referred to as {\it naked bursts}. Our results also apply to the case where the external medium density falls off sharply at…

It is widely believed that multiwavelength afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from relativistic blast waves. We here show that in such blast waves, a significant fraction of the energy of shock-accelerated protons would be lost…

We present an explanation for the unusual temporal feature of the GRB 030226 afterglow. The R-band afterglow of this burst faded as ~ t^{-1.2} in ~ 0.2 days after the burst, rebrightened during the period of ~ 0.2 - 0.5 days, and then…

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are cosmologically distributed, very energetic and very transient sources detected in the gamma-ray domain. The identification of their x-ray and optical afterglows allowed so far the redshift measurement of 150…

The optical light that is generated simultaneously with the x-rays and gamma-rays during a gamma-ray burst (GRB) provides clues about the nature of the explosions that occur as massive stars collapse to form black holes. We report on the…

The absorption feature detected in the prompt X-ray emission of GRB990705 has important consequences for its circum-burst environment and therefore on its afterglows. Here we investigate whether the circum-burst environment constrained by…

We analyze the properties of a sample of long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) detected by the Fermi satellite that have a spectroscopic redshift and good follow-up coverage at both X-ray and optical/nIR wavelengths. The evolution of LGRB…

For gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with durations greater than two seconds (so-called long GRBs), the intrinsic prompt gamma-ray emission appears, on average, to last longer for bursts at lower redshifts. We explore the nature of this…

We investigate available constraints on the circumstellar medium (CSM) around long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors from afterglow spectra. We first establish a statistical sample of five GRB afterglow spectra that have been…

Highly dust-obscured starbursting galaxies (submillimeter galaxies and their ilk) represent the most extreme sites of star-formation in the distant universe and contribute significantly to overall cosmic star-formation beyond z>1.5. Some…

Recent optical afterglow observations of gamma-ray bursts indicate a setting and distance scale that many relate to star-formation regions. In this paper, we use $<V/V_{max}>$ and a set of artificial trigger thresholds to probe several…

I discuss some theoretical expectations for the synchrotron emission from a relativistic blast-wave interacting with the ambient medium, as a model for GRB afterglows, and compare them with observations. An afterglow flux evolving as a…

In this paper we present a sample of 10 short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with a robust redshift determination, discovered by the Swift satellite up to January 2011. We measure their X-ray absorbing column densities and collect data on the host…

We survey NV absorption in the afterglow spectra of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with the intent to study highly ionized gas in the galaxies hosting these events. We identify a high incidence (6/7) of spectra exhibiting NV gas with…

Gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows have provided important clues to the nature of these massive explosive events, providing direct information on the nearby environment and indirect information on the central engine that powers the burst. We…

Currently popular models for progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the mergers of compact objects and the explosions of massive stars. These two cases have distinctive environments for GRBs: compact object mergers occur in the…

We present the main observational features expected for Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) that occur inside pulsar wind bubbles (PWBs). This is the most natural outcome of the supranova model, where initially a supernova (SN) explosion takes place,…

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts(LGRBs) are believed to be linked with the star formation. We adopt a galactic evolution model, in which the star formation process inside the virialized dark halo at given redshift can be achieved. In this…

Conventionally, long GRBs are thought to be caused by the core collapses of massive stars. During the lifetime of a massive star, a stellar wind bubble environment should be produced. Furthermore, the microphysics shock parameters may vary…

We present Follow-Up Network for Gamma-Ray Bursts (FUN GRB) Collaboration observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021211 made between 143 seconds and 102 days after the burst. Our unique data set includes the earliest filtered…