On the Association of Gamma-Ray Bursts with Supernovae

Authors

Dieter H. Hartmann, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson UniversityFollow
R. M. Kippen, Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center & NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
M. S. Briggs, Physics Department, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
J. M. Kommers, Department of Physics and Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
C. Kouveliotou, Universities Space Research Association & NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
K. Hurley, Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California
C. R. Robinson, Universities Space Research Association & NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
J. van Paradijs, Department of Physics and Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology & stronomical Institute “Anton Pannekoek”, University of Amsterdam & Center for High Energy Astrophysics
T. J. Galama, Astronomical Institute “Anton Pannekoek”, University of Amsterdam & Center for High Energy Astrophysics
P. M. Vresswijk, Astronomical Institute “Anton Pannekoek”, University of Amsterdam & Center for High Energy Astrophysics

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Summer 7-24-1998

Publication Title

The Astrophysical Journal

Publisher

The American Astronomical Society

Abstract

The recent discovery of a supernova (SN 1998bw) seemingly associated with GRB 980425 adds a new twist to the decades-old debate over the origin of gamma-ray bursts. To investigate the possibility that some (or all) bursts are associated with supernovae, we performed a systematic search for temporal/angular correlations using catalogs of BATSE and BATSE/Ulysses burst locations. We find no associations with any of the precise BATSE/Ulysses locations, which allows us to conclude that the fraction of high-fluence gamma-ray bursts from known supernovae is small (<0.2%). For the more numerous weaker bursts, the corresponding limiting fraction of 1.5% is less constraining due to the imprecise locations of these events. This limit (1.5% ≃ 18 bursts) allows that a large fraction of the recent supernovae used as a comparison data set (18 supernovae ≃ 20%) could have associated gamma-ray bursts. Thus, although we find no significant evidence to support a burst/supernova association, the possibility cannot be excluded for weak bursts.

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