ABSTRACT
We report the results of optical follow-up observations of 29 gravitational-wave (GW) triggers during the first half of the LIGO–Virgo Collaboration (LVC) O3 run with the Gravitational-wave ...Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) in its prototype 4-telescope configuration (GOTO-4). While no viable electromagnetic (EM) counterpart candidate was identified, we estimate our 3D (volumetric) coverage using test light curves of on- and off-axis gamma-ray bursts and kilonovae. In cases where the source region was observable immediately, GOTO-4 was able to respond to a GW alert in less than a minute. The average time of first observation was 8.79 h after receiving an alert (9.90 h after trigger). A mean of 732.3 square degrees were tiled per event, representing on average 45.3 per cent of the LVC probability map, or 70.3 per cent of the observable probability. This coverage will further improve as the facility scales up alongside the localization performance of the evolving GW detector network. Even in its 4-telescope prototype configuration, GOTO is capable of detecting AT2017gfo-like kilonovae beyond 200 Mpc in favourable observing conditions. We cannot currently place meaningful EM limits on the population of distant ($\hat{D}_L = 1.3$ Gpc) binary black hole mergers because our test models are too faint to recover at this distance. However, as GOTO is upgraded towards its full 32-telescope, 2 node (La Palma & Australia) configuration, it is expected to be sufficiently sensitive to cover the predicted O4 binary neutron star merger volume, and will be able to respond to both northern and southern triggers.
ABSTRACT Asteroid (3200) Phaethon is a Near-Earth Apollo asteroid with an unusual orbit that brings it closer to the Sun than any other known asteroid. Its last close approach to the Earth was in ...2017 mid-December and the next one will be on 2026 October. Previous rotationally time-resolved spectroscopy of Phaethon showed that its spectral slope is slightly bluish, in agreement with its B/F taxonomic classification, but at some rotational phases, it changes to slightly reddish. Motivated by this result, we performed time-resolved imaging polarimetry of Phaethon during its recent close approach to the Earth. Phaethon has a spin period of 3.604 h, and we found a variation of the linear polarization with rotation. This seems to be a rare case in which such variation is unambiguously found, also a consequence of its fairly large amplitude. Combining this new information with the brightness and colour variation as well as previously reported results from Arecibo radar observations, we conclude that there is no variation of the mineralogy across the surface of Phaeton. However, the observed change in the linear polarization may be related to differences in the thickness of the surface regolith in different areas or local topographic features.
ABSTRACT
The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave ...detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray triggers. In addition to a rapid response mode, the array will also perform a sensitive, all-sky transient survey with few day cadence. The facility features a novel, modular design with multiple 40-cm wide-field reflectors on a single mount. In 2017 June, the GOTO collaboration deployed the initial project prototype, with 4 telescope units, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. Here, we describe the deployment, commissioning, and performance of the prototype hardware, and discuss the impact of these findings on the final GOTO design. We also offer an initial assessment of the science prospects for the full GOTO facility that employs 32 telescope units across two sites.
ABSTRACT
Large-scale sky surveys have played a transformative role in our understanding of astrophysical transients, only made possible by increasingly powerful machine learning-based filtering to ...accurately sift through the vast quantities of incoming data generated. In this paper, we present a new real-bogus classifier based on a Bayesian convolutional neural network that provides nuanced, uncertainty-aware classification of transient candidates in difference imaging, and demonstrate its application to the datastream from the GOTO wide-field optical survey. Not only are candidates assigned a well-calibrated probability of being real, but also an associated confidence that can be used to prioritize human vetting efforts and inform future model optimization via active learning. To fully realize the potential of this architecture, we present a fully automated training set generation method which requires no human labelling, incorporating a novel data-driven augmentation method to significantly improve the recovery of faint and nuclear transient sources. We achieve competitive classification accuracy (FPR and FNR both below 1 per cent) compared against classifiers trained with fully human-labelled data sets, while being significantly quicker and less labour-intensive to build. This data-driven approach is uniquely scalable to the upcoming challenges and data needs of next-generation transient surveys. We make our data generation and model training codes available to the community.
We present the discovery of short GRB 080905A, its optical afterglow and host galaxy. Initially discovered by Swift, our deep optical observations enabled the identification of a faint optical ...afterglow, and subsequently a face-on spiral host galaxy underlying the GRB position, with a chance alignment probability of <1 per cent. There is no supernova component present in the afterglow to deep limits. Spectroscopy of the galaxy provides a redshift of z= 0.1218, the lowest redshift yet observed for a short GRB. The GRB lies offset from the host galaxy centre by ∼ 18.5 kpc, in the northern spiral arm which exhibits an older stellar population than the southern arm. No emission lines are visible directly under the burst position, implying little ongoing star formation at the burst location. These properties would naturally be explained were the progenitor of GRB 080905A a compact binary merger.
We present a sample of 77 optical afterglows (OAs) of Swift detected gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) for which spectroscopic follow-up observations have been secured. Our first objective is to measure the ...redshifts of the bursts. For the majority (90%) of the afterglows, the redshifts have been determined from the spectra. We provide line lists and equivalent widths (EWs) for all detected lines redward of Ly Delta *a covered by the spectra. In addition to the GRB absorption systems, these lists include line strengths for a total of 33 intervening absorption systems. We discuss to what extent the current sample of Swift bursts with OA spectroscopy is a biased subsample of all Swift detected GRBs. For that purpose we define an X-ray-selected statistical sample of Swift bursts with optimal conditions for ground-based follow-up from the period 2005 March to 2008 September; 146 bursts fulfill our sample criteria. We derive the redshift distribution for the statistical (X-ray selected) sample and conclude that less than 18% of Swift bursts can be at z > 7. We compare the high-energy properties (e.g., Delta *g-ray (15-350 keV) fluence and duration, X-ray flux, and excess absorption) for three subsamples of bursts in the statistical sample: (1) bursts with redshifts measured from OA spectroscopy; (2) bursts with detected optical and/or near-IR afterglow, but no afterglow-based redshift; and (3) bursts with no detection of the OA. The bursts in group (1) have slightly higher Delta *g-ray fluences and higher X-ray fluxes and significantly less excess X-ray absorption than bursts in the other two groups. In addition, the fractions of dark bursts, defined as bursts with an optical to X-ray slope Delta *bOX < 0.5, is 14% in group (1), 38% in group (2), and >39% in group (3). For the full sample, the dark burst fraction is constrained to be in the range 25%-42%. From this we conclude that the sample of GRBs with OA spectroscopy is not representative for all Swift bursts, most likely due to a bias against the most dusty sight lines. This should be taken into account when determining, e.g., the redshift or metallicity distribution of GRBs and when using GRBs as a probe of star formation. Finally, we characterize GRB absorption systems as a class and compare them to QSO absorption systems, in particular the damped Ly Delta *a absorbers (DLAs). On average GRB absorbers are characterized by significantly stronger EWs for H I as well as for both low and high ionization metal lines than what is seen in intervening QSO absorbers. However, the distribution of line strengths is very broad and several GRB absorbers have lines with EWs well within the range spanned by QSO-DLAs. Based on the 33 z > 2 bursts in the sample, we place a 95% confidence upper limit of 7.5% on the mean escape fraction of ionizing photons from star-forming galaxies.
Abstract
Follow-up observations of large numbers of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows, facilitated by the Swift satellite, have produced a large sample of spectral energy distributions and light ...curves, from which their basic micro- and macro-physical parameters can in principle be derived. However, a number of phenomena have been observed that defy explanation by simple versions of the standard fireball model, leading to a variety of new models. Polarimetry can be a major independent diagnostic of afterglow physics, probing the magnetic field properties and internal structure of the GRB jets. In this paper we present the first high-quality multi-night polarimetric light curve of a Swift GRB afterglow, aimed at providing a well-calibrated data set of a typical afterglow to serve as a benchmark system for modelling afterglow polarization behaviour. In particular, our data set of the afterglow of GRB 091018 (at redshift z = 0.971) comprises optical linear polarimetry (R band, 0.13-2.3 d after burst); circular polarimetry (R band) and near-infrared linear polarimetry (Ks band). We add to that high-quality optical and near-infrared broad-band light curves and spectral energy distributions as well as afterglow spectroscopy. The linear polarization varies between 0 and 3 per cent, with both long and short time-scale variability visible. We find an achromatic break in the afterglow light curve, which corresponds to features in the polarimetric curve. We find that the data can be reproduced by jet break models only if an additional polarized component of unknown nature is present in the polarimetric curve. We probe the ordered magnetic field component in the afterglow through our deep circular polarimetry, finding P
circ < 0.15 per cent (2σ), the deepest limit yet for a GRB afterglow, suggesting ordered fields are weak, if at all present. Our simultaneous R- and Ks-band polarimetry shows that dust-induced polarization in the host galaxy is likely negligible.
Long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs) are associated with type Ic supernovae that are more luminous than average and that eject material at very high velocities. Less-luminous supernovae were not ...hitherto known to be associated with GRBs, and therefore GRB-supernovae were thought to be rare events. Whether X-ray flashes-analogues of GRBs, but with lower luminosities and fewer γ-rays-can also be associated with supernovae, and whether they are intrinsically 'weak' events or typical GRBs viewed off the axis of the burst, is unclear. Here we report the optical discovery and follow-up observations of the type Ic supernova SN 2006aj associated with X-ray flash XRF 060218. Supernova 2006aj is intrinsically less luminous than the GRB-supernovae, but more luminous than many supernovae not accompanied by a GRB. The ejecta velocities derived from our spectra are intermediate between these two groups, which is consistent with the weakness of both the GRB output and the supernova radio flux. Our data, combined with radio and X-ray observations, suggest that XRF 060218 is an intrinsically weak and soft event, rather than a classical GRB observed off-axis. This extends the GRB-supernova connection to X-ray flashes and fainter supernovae, implying a common origin. Events such as XRF 060218 are probably more numerous than GRB-supernovae.
Abstract
Atmospheric stability conditions are known to impact the wind resource and yield assessments. However, they are too barely or not correctly taken into account in the industry due to several ...reasons such as limitations of commercial software or the relative inertia in updating industrial processes. This paper proposes a simplistic approach to improve wind resource and yield assessment certainty while keeping very similar software and industry processes. Two test cases are considered. First, the wind speed estimates made using a CFD software (Meteodyn 5.3) for different stability classes are compared to measurements obtained on a site with four met masts. Second, the wake losses obtained with a commercial yield assessment solver (WindPRO 3.5) considering different wake decay constant definitions are compared to SCADA data. In both cases, it appears that dividing the timeseries in “stability classes” and using corresponding stability parameters in the CFD and in the wake model parameters enable a reduction of the uncertainty. In the case of the energy estimation compared to SCADA, an improvement of 1.25% is obtained compared to the conventional approach.
We show that all X-ray decay curves of gamma -ray bursts (GRBs) measured by Swift can be fitted using one or two components, both of Which have exactly the same functional form comprised of an early ...falling exponential phase followed by a power-law decay. The first component contains the prompt gamma -ray emission and the initial X-ray decay. The second component appears later, has a much longer duration, and is present for approximately 80% of GRBs. It most likely arises from the external shock that eventually develops into the X-ray afterglow. In the remaining approximately 20% of GRBs the initial X-ray decay of the first component fades more slowly than the second and dominates at late times to form an afterglow. The temporal decay parameters and gamma /X-ray spectral indices derived for 107 GRBs are compared to the expectations of the standard fireball model including a search for possible "jet breaks." For similar to 50% of GRBs the observed afterglow is in accord with the model, but for the rest the temporal and spectral indices do not conform to the expected closure relations and are suggestive of continued, late, energy injection. We identify a few possible jet breaks, but there are many examples where such breaks are predicted but are absent. The time T alpha at which the exponential phase of the second component changes to a final power-law decay afterglow is correlated with the peak of the gamma -ray spectrum, E sub(peak). This is analogous to the Ghirlanda relation, indicating that this time is in some way related to optically observed break times measured for pre-Swift bursts.
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