Abstract
We report the discovery of the optical counterpart to GRB 980326. Its rapid optical decay can be characterized by a power law with exponent -2.10 ± 0.13 and a constant underlying source at Rc = 25.5 ± 0.5. Its optical colors 2.1 days after the burst imply a spectral slope of -0.66 ± 0.70. The γ-ray spectrum as observed with BATSE shows that it is among the 4% softest bursts ever recorded. We argue that the rapid optical decay may be a reason for the nondetection of some low-energy afterglows of GRBs.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | L123-L127 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 502 |
Issue number | 2 PART 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 1 1998 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Gamma rays: bursts
- Gamma rays: observations
- Radiation mechanisms: nonthermal
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science