Multi-Point Detection of the Powerful Gamma Ray Burst GRB221009A Propagation through the Heliosphere on October 9, 2022

TL;DR

This study tracks the propagation of the powerful gamma-ray burst GRB221009A across the heliosphere using data from multiple spacecraft and satellites, revealing its structure, timing, and source location.

Contribution

It provides a multi-point analysis of GRB221009A's propagation through the heliosphere, combining data from diverse missions to determine its structure and origin.

Findings

GRB221009A had four distinct bursts detected across multiple spacecraft.

The burst's source was localized at RA 288.5°, Dec 18.5° with a 2° error cone.

Propagation delays across the heliosphere were quantified using multi-spacecraft data.

Abstract

We present the results of processing the effects of the powerful Gamma Ray Burst GRB221009A captured by the charged particle detectors (electrostatic analyzers and solid-state detectors) onboard spacecraft at different points in the heliosphere on October 9, 2022. To follow the GRB221009A propagation through the heliosphere we used the electron and proton flux measurements from solar missions Solar Orbiter and STEREO-A; Earth magnetosphere and the solar wind missions THEMIS and Wind; meteorological satellites POES15, POES19, MetOp3; and MAVEN - a NASA mission orbiting Mars. GRB221009A had a structure of four bursts: less intense Pulse 1 - the triggering impulse - was detected by gamma-ray observatories at 131659 UT (near the Earth); the most intense Pulses 2 and 3 were detected on board all the spacecraft from the list, and Pulse 4 detected in more than 500 s after Pulse 1. Due to their different scientific objectives, the spacecraft, which data was used in this study, were separated by more than 1 AU (Solar Orbiter and MAVEN). This enabled tracking GRB221009A as it was propagating across the heliosphere. STEREO-A was the first to register Pulse 2 and 3 of the GRB, almost 100 seconds before their detection by spacecraft in the vicinity of Earth. MAVEN detected GRB221009A Pulses 2, 3, and 4 at the orbit of Mars about 237 seconds after their detection near Earth. By processing the time delays observed we show that the source location of the GRB221009A was at RA 288.5 degrees, Dec 18.5 degrees (J2000) with an error cone of 2 degrees