Prompt emission polarimetry of Gamma Ray Bursts with ASTROSAT CZT-Imager

TL;DR

This study reports polarization measurements of 11 Gamma-ray bursts using ASTROSAT CZT-Imager, providing new data to test GRB emission models and highlighting the instrument's capability for spectro-polarimetric studies.

Contribution

First polarization measurements of multiple GRBs with ASTROSAT CZT-Imager, demonstrating its capability to detect and analyze GRB prompt emission polarization in the 100-300 keV range.

Findings

5 GRBs show polarization signatures with >3σ significance

1 GRB shows >2σ polarization detection

Upper limits established for remaining GRBs

Abstract

X-ray and Gamma-ray polarization measurements of the prompt emission of Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are believed to be extremely important for testing various models of GRBs. So far, the available measurements of hard X-ray polarization of GRB prompt emission have not significantly constrained the GRB models, particularly because of the difficulty of measuring polarization in these bands. The CZT Imager (CZTI) onboard {\em AstroSat} is primarily an X-ray spectroscopic instrument that also works as a wide angle GRB monitor due to the transparency of its support structure above 100 keV. It also has experimentally verified polarization measurement capability in the 100 $-$ 300 keV energy range and thus provides a unique opportunity to attempt spectro-polarimetric studies of GRBs. Here we present the polarization data for the brightest 11 GRBs detected by CZTI during its first year of operation. Among these, 5 GRBs show polarization signatures with $\gtrapprox$3$\sigma$, and 1 GRB shows $\>$2$\sigma$ detection significance. We place upper limits for the remaining 5 GRBs. We provide details of the various tests performed to validate our polarization measurements. While it is difficult yet to discriminate between various emission models with the current sample alone, the large number of polarization measurements CZTI expects to gather in its minimum lifetime of five years should help to significantly improve our understanding of the prompt emission.