Inhomogeneities in the light curves of gamma-ray bursts afterglow

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the inhomogeneous features in optical afterglow light curves of gamma-ray bursts, identifying deviations from smooth models and exploring their properties and correlations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed classification and characterization of inhomogeneities in optical afterglow light curves, including their phenomenology and correlations with GRB timing.

Findings

Inhomogeneities include flashes, bumps, and wiggles.

Duration correlates with peak time across all types.

Optical and X-ray light curves show similar inhomogeneity patterns.

Abstract

We discuss the inhomogeneous behavior of gamma-ray burst afterglow light curves in optic. We use well-sampled light curves based on mostly our own observations to find and identify deviations (inhomogeneities) from broken power law. By the inhomogeneous behavior we mean flashes, bumps,slow deviations from power law (wiggles) in a light curve. In particular we report parameters of broken power law, describe phenomenology, compare optical light curves with X-ray ones and classify the inhomogeneities. We show that the duration of the inhomogeneities correlates with their peak time relative to gamma-ray burst (GRB) trigger and the correlation is the same for all types of inhomogeneities.