VERITAS Observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts Detected by Swift

Author Info

V. A. Acciari, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
E. Aliu, Columbia University
T. Arlen, University of California - Los Angeles
T. Aune, University of California - Santa Cruz
M. Beilicke, Washington University
W. Benbow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
S. M. Bradbury, University of Leeds
J. H. Buckley, Washington University
V. Bugaev, Washington University
K. Byrum, Argonne National Laboratory
A. Cannon, University College Dublin
A. Cesarini, National University of Ireland Galway
J. L. Christiansen, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoFollow
L. Ciupik, Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
E. Collins-Hughes, University College Dublin
M. P. Connolly, National University of Ireland Galway
W. Cui, Purdue University
C. Duke, Grinnell College
M. Errando, Barnard College
A. Falcone, Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus
J. P. Finley, Purdue University
G. Finnegan, University of Utah
L. Fortson, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
A. Furniss, University of California - Santa Cruz
N. Galante, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
D. Gall, Purdue University
S. Godambe, University of Utah
S. Griffin, McGill University
J. Grube, Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
R. Guenette, McGill University
G. Gyuk, Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
D. Hanna, McGill University
J. Holder, University of Delaware
G. Hughes, Platanenallee
C. M. Hui, University of Utah
T. B. Humensky, University of Chicago
D. J. Jackson, California Polytechnic State University
P. Kaaret, University of Iowa
N. Karlsson, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
M. Kertzman, DePauw University
D. Kieda, University of Utah
H. Krawczynski, Washington University
F. Krennrich, Iowa State University
M. J. Lang, National University of Ireland, Galway
A. S. Madhavan, Iowa State University
G. Maier, Platanenallee
S. McArthur, Washington University
A. McCann, McGill University
P. Moriarty, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
M. D. Newbold, University of Utah
R. A. Ong, University of California - Los Angeles
M. Orr, Iowa State University
A. N. Otte, University of California - Santa Cruz
N. Park, University of Chicago
J. S. Perkins, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
M. Pohl, Platanenallee
H. Prokoph, Platanenallee
J. Quinn, University College Dublin
K. Ragan, McGill University
L. C. Reyes, University of Chicago
P. T. Reynolds, University of Chicago
E. Roache, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
H. J. Rose, University of Leeds
J. Ruppel, Universitat Potsdam
D. B. Saxon, University of Delaware
M. Schroedter, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
G. H. Sembroski, Purdue University
G. D. Şentürk, Columbia University
A. W. Smith, Argonne National Laboratory
D. Staszak, McGill University
S. P. Swordy
G. Tešić, McGill University
M. Theiling, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
S. Thibadeau, Washington University
K. Tsurusaki, University of Iowa
A. Varlotta, Purdue University
V. V. Vassiliev, University of California - Los Angeles
S. Vincent, University of Utah
M. Vivier, University of Delaware
S. P. Wakely, University of Chicago
J. E. Ward, University College Dublin
T. C. Weekes, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
A. Weinstein, University of California - Los Angeles
T. Weisgarber, University of Chicago
D. A. Williams, University of California - Santa Cruz
M. Wood, University of California - Los Angeles

Recommended Citation

Published in The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 743, Issue 62, December 10, 2011, pages 1-10.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/743/1/62.

Abstract

We present the results of 16 Swift-triggered Gamma-ray burst (GRB) follow-up observations taken with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) telescope array from 2007 January to 2009 June. The median energy threshold and response time of these observations were 260 GeV and 320 s, respectively. Observations had an average duration of 90 minutes. Each burst is analyzed independently in two modes: over the whole duration of the observations and again over a shorter timescale determined by the maximum VERITAS sensitivity to a burst with a t^−1.5 time profile. This temporal model is characteristic of GRB afterglows with high-energy, long-lived emission that have been detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi satellite. No significant very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission was detected and upper limits above the VERITAS threshold energy are calculated. The VERITAS upper limits are corrected for gamma-ray extinction by the extragalactic background light and interpreted in the context of the keV emission detected by Swift. For some bursts the VHE emission must have less power than the keV emission, placing constraints on inverse Compton models of VHE emission.

Disciplines

Physics

Copyright

2011 American Astronomical Society.