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GRB 050826: A Subluminous Event at z=0.296 Finds Its Place in the Luminosity Distribution of Gamma-Ray Burst AfterglowsWe present the optical identification and spectroscopy of the host galaxy of GRB 050826 at redshift z = 0.296 +/- 0.001. Image subtraction among observations obtained on three consecutive nights reveals a fading object 5 hr after the burst, confirming its identification as the optical afterglow of this event. Deep imaging shows that the optical afterglow is offset by 0.4" (1.76 kpc) from the center of its irregular host galaxy, which is typical for long-duration gamma-ray bursts. Combining these results with X-ray measurements acquired by the Swift XRT instrument, we find that GRB 050826 falls entirely within the subluminous, subenergetic group of long gamma-ray bursts at low redshift (z less than or equal to 0.3). The results are discussed in the context of models that possibly account for this trend, including the nature of the central engine, the evolution of progenitor properties as a function of redshift, and incompleteness in current gamma-ray burst samples.
Document ID
20080008413
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Mirabal, N.
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Halpern J. P.
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
O'Brien, P. T.
(Leicester Univ. United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2007
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 661
Subject Category
Astronomy
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06GJ25G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH05ZDA001N
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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