GRB 000131

GRB 000131 was a gamma-ray burst (GRB) that was detected on 31 January 2000 at 14:59 UTC. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash associated with an explosion in a distant galaxy and producing gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation, and often followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio).

GRB 000131
Other designationsGRB 000131
Event typeGamma-ray burst 
Date31 January 2000 
ConstellationCarina 
Redshift4.5 ±0.1, 4.5 

Observations

GRB 000131 was detected on 31 January 2000 at 14:59 UTC by Ulysses, KONUS, NEAR Shoemaker, and BATSE. It lasted approximately 90 seconds.[1] The initial position, derived from the observations of all the aforementioned spacecraft, was estimated at a right ascension of 6h 13m 32.72s and a declination of −51° 55′ 36.77″.[2] On 4 February 2000, optical observations of the region were made by telescopes at Paranal Observatory and La Silla Observatory in Chile which revealed the burst's optical afterglow.[3]

Distance record

GRB 000131 had a redshift of approximately z = 4.5,[4] This corresponds to a distance of about 11 billion light years, making it the most distant gamma-ray burst that had ever been recorded up to that date.[5] This distance record was broken by GRB 050904, which had a redshift of z = 6.29.[6][7]

Optical emission

GRB 000131 was the first gamma-ray burst to have its optical afterglow detected by an 8-meter telescope. At the time of its discovery, GRB 000131 was the most distant burst ever detected. However, it was not the most energetic: assuming isotropic emission, the total energy output of the burst was approximately 1054 ergs, placing it in second behind GRB 990123. Furthermore, the gamma-ray data also suggested that the burst was beamed rather than isotropic, a characteristics which would further decrease the total energy output. This demonstrated the importance of the use of optical telescopes in the studies of gamma-ray bursts.[8]

References
  1. Hurley, Kevin. "IPN localization of GRB00013". GCN Circulars (529).
  2. Kippen, R. N. (2000). "BATSE+IPN location of GRB000131". GCN Circulars. 530 (530): 1. Bibcode:2000GCN...530....1K.
  3. Pedersen, Holger. "GRB 000131 Optical Observations". GCN Circulars (534).
  4. Andersen, Michael; et al. (2001). "Hunting Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Lyman Forest; GRB 000131 at z = 4.50". Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era. Springer-Verlag. pp. 133–135. ISBN 3-540-42771-6.
  5. "Yet another record: Ulysses detects most distant gamma-ray burst". ESA Science & Technology. 19 October 2000.
  6. "Most Distant Explosion Detected, Smashes Previous Record" (Press release). NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  7. Haislip, J. B.; et al. (9 March 2006). "A photometric redshift of z = 6.39 ± 0.12 for GRB 050904". Nature. 440 (7081): 181–183. arXiv:astro-ph/0509660. Bibcode:2006Natur.440..181H. doi:10.1038/nature04552. PMID 16525465.
  8. Feroci, Marco (April 2001). "Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era: Second Workshop". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 113 (782): 508–509. Bibcode:2001PASP..113..508F. doi:10.1086/319545.


Preceded by
GRB 971214		 Most distant gamma-ray burst
2000 — 2005		 Succeeded by
GRB 050904
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