Open AccessSwift observations of GRB 050712
Author(s) -
De Pasquale Massimiliano,
Grupe Dirk,
Poole T. S.,
Breeveld A. A.,
Zane S.,
Rosen S. R.,
Page M. J.,
Mason K. O.,
Burrows D. N.,
Krimm H. A.,
Gehrels N.,
Nousek J. A.,
Roming P. W. A.,
Kobayashi S.,
Zhang B.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10609.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , swift , ejecta , gamma ray burst , flare , line of sight , astronomy , line (geometry) , supernova , geometry , mathematics
We present the results of X‐ray and optical observations of GRB 050712 performed by Swift . The X‐ray light curve of this burst exhibits episodes of flares in the first 1000 s, the same epoch at which the UVOT detected an optical counterpart. A shallow X‐ray decay, with a decay slope of α=−0.73 , followed and lasted ∼70 ks. This behaviour can be explained in terms of activity of the gamma‐ray burst ‘inner engine’, with the possibility that the last flare is caused by the interaction of the ejecta with the surrounding medium. We also find interesting spectral parameters for the X‐ray emission. In particular, data suggest the presence of an intrinsic absorption in the first 1000 s, which can be explained if circumburst medium clouds lie along the line of sight.