INTEGRAL Results on Gamma-Ray Bursts

TL;DR

INTEGRAL has significantly advanced gamma-ray burst research over the past decade through its unique localization and sensitivity, leading to discoveries like GRB-supernova links, polarization measurements, and fundamental physics applications.

Contribution

This paper reviews a decade of INTEGRAL's contributions to GRB science, highlighting new discoveries and lessons for future mission design.

Findings

Discovery of a GRB associated with a Supernova

First measurement of variable polarization in GRB prompt emission

Indication of a low-luminosity GRB population

Abstract

Despite being a general observatory, and not a Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) oriented mission, INTEGRAL has contributed to several important discoveries in the GRB field. This has been obtained thanks to its unprecedented localization capabilities, and sensitivity in the soft gamma-ray domain. In this paper I will review the main results obtained during the last 10 years with, and thanks to, INTEGRAL GRBs, including the discovery of one of the few GRBs spectroscopically associated with a Supernova, the first measurement of variable polarization in the GRB prompt emission, the indication of the existence of a low-luminosity population of GRBs, as well as the recent application of GRBs as probes for the fundamental physics. I will mention the main global characteristics of the INTEGRAL sample, and make the point on the lessons learnt from INTEGRAL in the perspective of designing future GRB dedicated missions.