The magnetization degree of the outflow powering the highly-polarized reverse shock emission of GRB 120308A

TL;DR

This paper models the optical and X-ray emissions of GRB 120308A, revealing a mildly magnetized outflow with a significant Poynting-flux component, supporting the idea that some GRBs are powered by magnetic energy.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed modeling of the reverse shock polarization in GRB 120308A, demonstrating a mildly magnetized outflow and confirming magnetic energy's role in GRB emission.

Findings

Reverse shock magnetic field is ~10 times stronger than forward shock.

Outflow magnetization degree is a few percent (σ ~ a few percent).

Supports the Poynting-flux dominated outflow model for some GRBs.

Abstract

GRB 120308A, a long duration $\gamma-$ray burst detected by {\it Swift}, was distinguished by a highly-polarized early optical afterglow emission that strongly suggests an ordered magnetic field component in the emitting region. In this work we model the optical and X-ray emission in the reverse and forward shock scenario and show that the strength of the magnetic field in reverse shock region is $\sim 10$ times stronger than that in the forward shock region. Consequently the outflow powering the highly-polarized reverse shock optical emission was mildly-magnetized at a degree $\sigma \sim$ a few percent. Considering the plausible magnetic energy dissipation in both the acceleration and prompt emission phases of the Gamma-ray Burst (GRB) outflow, the afterglow data of GRB 120308A provides us the compelling evidence that at least for some GRBs a non-ignorable fraction of the energy was released in the form of Poynting-flux, confirming the finding firstly made in the reverse-forward shock emission modeling of the optical afterglow of GRB 990123 (Fan et al. 2002; Zhang et al. 2003).