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The radio afterglow from the γ-ray burst of 8 May 1997

Author

Listed:
  • D. A. Frail

    (National Radio Astronomy Observatory)

  • S. R. Kulkarni

    (Mathematics and Astronomy 105-24, Caltech)

  • L. Nicastro

    (Istituto Tecnologie e Studio Radiazioni Extraterrestri, CNR)

  • M. Feroci

    (Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale, CNR)

  • G. B. Taylor

    (National Radio Astronomy Observatory)

Abstract

Important insight into the nature of γ-ray bursts (GRBs) has been gained in recent months mainly due to the immediate, precise localization of the bursts1,2,3 and the discovery of relatively long-lived X-ray afterglows1,2,3,4 by the satellite BeppoSAX5. These advances have enabled deep searches which have led to the discovery of optical transients6,7 coincident with fading X-ray sources. Optical spectroscopy of the latest burst (GRB970508; ref. 8) has clearly demonstrated that it lies at a cosmological distance, thus resolving a long-standing controversy about the distance scale to GRBs. Here we report a variable radio source within the error box of GRB970508 and coincident with the optical transient. We suggest that this is the much-sought-after radio counterpart of a GRB. If the observed fluctuations in the radio emission (‘twinkling’) are a result of a strong scattering by the irregularities in the ionized Galactic interstellar gas, then the source must have an angular size of about 3 microarcseconds in the first few weeks. The damping of the fluctuations with time indicates that the source expands to a significantly larger size later on.

Suggested Citation

  • D. A. Frail & S. R. Kulkarni & L. Nicastro & M. Feroci & G. B. Taylor, 1997. "The radio afterglow from the γ-ray burst of 8 May 1997," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6648), pages 261-263, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:389:y:1997:i:6648:d:10.1038_38451
    DOI: 10.1038/38451
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