GRB 090727 and gamma-ray bursts with early time optical emission

TL;DR

This paper analyzes early optical emission in gamma-ray bursts, especially GRB 090727, and suggests internal dissipation processes rather than reverse shocks as the origin of early optical flashes, supported by a broad observational sample.

Contribution

It provides a detailed multi-wavelength analysis of GRB 090727 and introduces a larger sample of GRBs with early optical and gamma-ray detections, challenging external shock models.

Findings

Early optical emission often shows sharp, steep features.

Internal shock models can produce diverse spectral properties.

External shock interpretation is generally disfavored for early optical peaks.

Abstract

We present a multi-wavelength analysis of gamma-ray burst GRB 090727, for which optical emission was detected during the prompt gamma-ray emission by the 2-m autonomous robotic Liverpool Telescope and subsequently monitored for a further two days with the Liverpool and Faulkes telescopes. Within the context of the standard fireball model, we rule out a reverse shock origin for the early time optical emission in GRB 090727 and instead conclude that the early time optical flash likely corresponds to emission from an internal dissipation processes. Putting GRB 090727 into a broader observational and theoretical context, we build a sample of 36 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with contemporaneous early time optical and gamma-ray detections. From these GRBs, we extract a sub-sample of 18 GRBs, which show optical peaks during prompt gamma-ray emission, and perform detailed temporal and spectral analysis in gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical bands. We find that in most cases early time optical emission shows sharp and steep behaviour, and notice a rich diversity of spectral properties. Using a simple internal shock dissipation model, we show that the emission during prompt GRB phase can occur at very different frequencies via synchrotron radiation. Based on the results obtained from observations and simulation, we conclude that the standard external shock interpretation for early time optical emission is disfavoured in most cases due to sharp peaks ($\Delta t/t < 1$) and steep rise/decay indices, and that internal dissipation can explain the properties of GRBs with optical peaks during gamma-ray emission.