In-vacuo-dispersion-like spectral lags in gamma-ray bursts

TL;DR

This study extends the analysis of spectral lags in gamma-ray bursts to lower energies, confirming previous findings of in-vacuo dispersion-like effects across a broader energy range.

Contribution

It broadens the energy window for spectral lag analysis in GRBs, providing additional evidence for in-vacuo dispersion at energies as low as 5 GeV.

Findings

Spectral lag correlations persist down to 5 GeV.

Results are consistent with previous high-energy studies.

Supports the hypothesis of in-vacuo dispersion effects in GRBs.

Abstract

Some recent studies exposed rather strong statistical evidence of in-vacuo-dispersion-like spectral lags for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), a linear correlation between time of observation and energy of GRB particles. Those results focused on testing in-vacuo dispersion for the most energetic GRB particles, and in particular only included photons with energy at emission greater than 40 GeV. We here extend the window of the statistical analysis down to 5 GeV and find results that are consistent with what had been previously noticed at higher energies.