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GRB070610: A Curious Galactic TransientGRB 070610 is a typical high-energy event with a duration of 5s.Yet within the burst localization we detect a highly unusual X-ray and optical transient, SwiftJ195509.6+261406. We see high amplitude X-ray and optical variability on very short time scares even at late times. Using near-infrared imaging assisted by a laser guide star and adaptive optics, we identified the counterpart of SwiftJl95509.6+261406. Late-time optical and near-infrared imaging constrain the spectral type of the counterpart to be fainter than a K-dwarf assuming it is of Galactic origin. It is possible that GRB 070610 and Swift J195509.6+261406 are unrelated sources. However, the absence of a typical X-ray afterglow from GRB 070610 in conjunction with the spatial and temporal coincidence of the two motivate us to suggest that the sources are related. The closest (imperfect) analog to Swift J195509.6+261406 is V4641 Sgr, an unusual black hole binary. We suggest that Swift J195509.6+261406 along with V4641 Sgr define a sub-class of stellar black hole binaries -- the fast X-ray novae. We further suggest that fast X-ray novae are associated with bursts of gamma-rays. If so, GRB 070610 defines a new class of celestial gamma-ray bursts and these bursts dominate the long-duration GRB demographics
Document ID
20090007968
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Kasliwal, M. M.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kulkrarni. S. R.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Cameron, P. B.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Nakar, E.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Ofek, E. O.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rau, A.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Soderberg, A. M.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Campana, S.
(Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera Merate, Italy)
Bloom, J. S.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Perley, D. A.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Pollack, L. K.
(California Univ. Santa Cruz, CA, United States)
Barthelmy, S.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cummings, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gehrels, N.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Krimm, H. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Markwardt, C. B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Sato, G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chandra, P.
(Virginia Univ. Charlottesville, VA, United States)
Frail, D.
(National Radio Astronomy Observatory Socorro, NM, United States)
Fox, D. B.
(Pennsylvania State Univ. University Park, PA, United States)
Price, P. A.
(Hawaii Univ. Honolulu, HI, United States)
Berger, E.
(Carnegie Institution of Washington Pasadena, CA, United States)
Krivonos, R. A.
(Academy of Sciences (Russia) Moscow, Russian Federation)
Grebenev, S. A.
(Academy of Sciences (Russia) Moscow, Russian Federation)
Sunyaev, R. A.
(Princeton Univ. Observatory NJ, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
November 5, 2007
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Volume: 678
Issue: 2
Subject Category
Astronomy
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06GH61G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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