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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
general
Circular polarization in the optical afterglow of GRB 121024A
Nature, Volume 509, No. 7499, Year 2014
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Description
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are most probably powered by collimated relativistic outflows (jets) from accreting black holes at cosmological distances. Bright afterglows are produced when the outflow collides with the ambient medium. Afterglow polarization directly probes the magnetic properties of the jet when measured minutes after the burst, and it probes the geometric properties of the jet and the ambient medium when measured hours to days after the burst. High values of optical polarization detected minutes after the burst of GRB 120308A indicate the presence of large-scale ordered magnetic fields originating from the central engine (the power source of the GRB). Theoretical models predict low degrees of linear polarization and no circular polarization at late times, when the energy in the original ejecta is quickly transferred to the ambient medium and propagates farther into the medium as a blast wave. Here we report the detection of circularly polarized light in the afterglow of GRB 121024A, measured 0.15â ‰days after the burst. We show that the circular polarization is intrinsic to the afterglow and unlikely to be produced by dust scattering or plasma propagation effects. A possible explanation is to invoke anisotropic (rather than the commonly assumed isotropic) electron pitch-angle distributions, and we suggest that new models are required to produce the complex microphysics of realistic shocks in relativistic jets. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
Authors & Co-Authors
Wiersema, Klaas
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Covino, Stefano
Italy
Inaf/brera Astronomical Observatory
Toma, Kenji
Japan, Suita
Osaka University
Japan, Sendai
Tohoku University
van der Horst, Alexander J.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Anton Pannekoek Instituut Voor Sterrenkunde
Varela, K.
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Min, M.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Anton Pannekoek Instituut Voor Sterrenkunde
Greiner, Jochen
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Starling, Rhaana L.C.
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Tanvir, Nial R.
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Wijers, Ralph A.M.J.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Anton Pannekoek Instituut Voor Sterrenkunde
Campana, Sergio
Italy
Inaf/brera Astronomical Observatory
Curran, Peter A.
Australia, Perth
Curtin University
Fan, Y.
China, Nanjing
Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fynbo, Johan Peter Uldall
Denmark, Copenhagen
Niels Bohr Institutet
Gorosabel, Javier
Spain, Madrid
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
Spain, Leioa
Universidad Del Pais Vasco
Spain, Bilbao
Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science
Gomboc, Andreja
Slovenia, Ljubljana
Univerza V Ljubljani
G̈otz, Diego
France, Gif-sur-yvette
Astrophysique, Instrumentation et Modélisation de Paris-saclay
Hjorth, Jens
Denmark, Copenhagen
Niels Bohr Institutet
Jin, Z. P.
China, Nanjing
Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kobayashi, Shiho
United Kingdom, Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
Kouveliotou, Chryssa K.
United States, Huntsville
Nasa Marshall Space Flight Center
Mundell, Carole G.
United Kingdom, Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
O'Brien, Paul T.
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Pian, Elena
Italy, Pisa
Scuola Normale Superiore Di Pisa
Italy, Bologna
Inaf Istituto Di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Bologna
Rowlinson, Antonia
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Anton Pannekoek Instituut Voor Sterrenkunde
Russell, David M.
Spain, San Cristobal de la Laguna
Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias
Spain, San Cristobal de la Laguna
Universidad de la Laguna
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
Nyu Abu Dhabi
Salvaterra, Ruben
Italy, Milan
Inaf Istituto Di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Milan
Di Serego-Alighieri, Sperello
Italy, Florence
Osservatorio Astrofisico Di Arcetri
Tagliaferri, Gianpiero
Italy
Inaf/brera Astronomical Observatory
Vergani, Susanna D.
Italy
Inaf/brera Astronomical Observatory
Elliott, J.
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Fariña, Cecilia
Spain, Santa Cruz de la Palma
Isaac Newton Group
Hartoog, O. E.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Anton Pannekoek Instituut Voor Sterrenkunde
Karjalainen, R.
Spain, Santa Cruz de la Palma
Isaac Newton Group
Klose, Sylvio
Germany, Camburg
Thüringen Landessternwarte Tautenburg
Knust, F.
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Levan, Andrew J.
United Kingdom, Coventry
University of Warwick
Schady, Patricia
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Sudilovsky, V.
Germany, Garching Bei Munchen
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Willingale, Richard
United Kingdom, Leicester
University of Leicester
Statistics
Citations: 81
Authors: 40
Affiliations: 26
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1038/nature13237
ISSN:
00280836
e-ISSN:
14764687