New Insights on Gamma-Ray Burst Radiation Mechanisms from Multiwavelength Observations

TL;DR

This paper uses multiwavelength observations, including very high energy gamma-ray data, to refine models of gamma-ray burst radiation mechanisms, focusing on synchrotron and SSC processes and their microphysical parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a method to constrain GRB radiation models using VHE observations, highlighting the importance of VHE data in understanding magnetic energy distribution.

Findings

VHE observations tighten constraints on the magnetic energy parameter $_B$.

A linear relationship between VHE and keV-MeV gamma-ray energy budgets was identified.

VHE data improve the understanding of GRB radiation mechanisms.

Abstract

The study of high-energy gamma-ray emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) involves complex synchrotron radiation and synchrotron self-Compton scattering (SSC) mechanisms with multiple parameters exhibiting a wide distribution. Recent advancements in GRB research, particularly the observation of very high energy (VHE, $\rm >100~GeV$) radiation, have ushered in a new era of multiwavelength exploration, offering fresh perspectives and limitations for understanding GRB radiation mechanisms. This study aimed to leverage VHE observations to refine constraints on synchrotron + SSC radiation from electrons accelerated by forward shocks. By analyzing two external environments - the uniform interstellar medium and stratified stellar wind medium, we conducted spectral and variability fitting for five specific bursts (GRB~180720B, GRB~190114C, GRB~190829A, GRB~201216C, and GRB~221009A) to identify the optimal parameters characterizing these events. A comparative analysis of model parameter distributions with and without VHE radiation observations reveals that the magnetic energy equipartition factor $\epsilon_B$ is more concentrated with VHE emissions. This suggests that VHE emissions may offer greater constraints on this microphysical parameter. Additionally, we found that the energy budget between VHE and keV-MeV $\gamma$-ray emissions under the SSC radiation exhibits an almost linear relationship, which may serve as a tool to differentiate radiation mechanisms. We anticipate future statistical analyses of additional VHE bursts to validate our findings.