scholarly journals DESAlert: Enabling Real-Time Transient Follow-Up with Dark Energy Survey Data

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Poci ◽  
K. Kuehn ◽  
T. Abbott ◽  
F. B. Abdalla ◽  
S. Allam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dark Energy ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Gamma Ray Bursts ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
Gamma Ray Burst ◽  
Dark Energy Survey ◽  
Data Products ◽  
Energy Survey

AbstractThe Dark Energy Survey is undertaking an observational programme imaging 1/4 of the southern hemisphere sky with unprecedented photometric accuracy. In the process of observing millions of faint stars and galaxies to constrain the parameters of the dark energy equation of state, the Dark Energy Survey will obtain pre-discovery images of the regions surrounding an estimated 100 gamma-ray bursts over 5 yr. Once gamma-ray bursts are detected by, e.g., the Swift satellite, the DES data will be extremely useful for follow-up observations by the transient astronomy community. We describe a recently-commissioned suite of software that listens continuously for automated notices of gamma-ray burst activity, collates information from archival DES data, and disseminates relevant data products back to the community in near-real-time. Of particular importance are the opportunities that non-public DES data provide for relative photometry of the optical counterparts of gamma-ray bursts, as well as for identifying key characteristics (e.g., photometric redshifts) of potential gamma-ray burst host galaxies. We provide the functional details of the DESAlert software, and its data products, and we show sample results from the application of DESAlert to numerous previously detected gamma-ray bursts, including the possible identification of several heretofore unknown gamma-ray burst hosts.

scholarly journals The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (2) ◽  
pp. 2575-2593 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Wiseman ◽  
M Pursiainen ◽  
M Childress ◽  
E Swann ◽  
M Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dark Energy ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Fast Time ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Chemical Enrichment ◽  
Dark Energy Survey ◽  
Explosion Emission ◽  
Stellar Masses ◽  
Energy Survey

ABSTRACT Rapidly evolving transients (RETs), also termed fast blue optical transients, are a recently discovered group of astrophysical events that display rapid luminosity evolution. RETs typically rise to peak in less than 10 d and fade within 30, a time-scale unlikely to be compatible with the decay of Nickel-56 that drives conventional supernovae (SNe). Their peak luminosity spans a range of −15 < Mg < −22.5, with some events observed at redshifts greater than 1. Their evolution on fast time-scales has hindered high-quality follow-up observations, and thus their origin and explosion/emission mechanism remains unexplained. In this paper, we present the largest sample of RETs to date, comprising 106 objects discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, and perform the most comprehensive analysis of RET host galaxies. Using deep-stacked photometry and emission lines from OzDES spectroscopy, we derive stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) for 49 host galaxies, and metallicities ([O/H]) for 37. We find that RETs explode exclusively in star-forming galaxies and are thus likely associated with massive stars. Comparing RET hosts to samples of host galaxies of other explosive transients as well as field galaxies, we find that RETs prefer galaxies with high specific SFRs (〈log (sSFR)〉 ∼ −9.6), indicating a link to young stellar populations, similar to stripped-envelope SNe. RET hosts appear to show a lack of chemical enrichment, their metallicities akin to long-duration gamma-ray bursts and superluminous SN host galaxies (〈12 + log (O/H)〉 ∼ 9.4). There are no clear relationships between mass or SFR of the host galaxies and the peak magnitudes or decline rates of the transients themselves.

scholarly journals Constraints on the circumburst environments of short gamma-ray bursts

2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (4) ◽  
pp. 4782-4799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan O’Connor ◽  
Paz Beniamini ◽  
Chryssa Kouveliotou
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Galactic Halo ◽  
Gamma Ray Bursts ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Host Galaxy ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
Binary Neutron Star ◽  
Range Of Values ◽  
Short Grbs

ABSTRACT Observational follow up of well localized short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) has left $20\!-\!30{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the population without a coincident host galaxy association to deep optical and NIR limits (≳26 mag). These SGRBs have been classified as observationally hostless due to their lack of strong host associations. It has been argued that these hostless SGRBs could be an indication of the large distances traversed by the binary neutron star system (due to natal kicks) between its formation and its merger (leading to an SGRB). The distances of GRBs from their host galaxies can be indirectly probed by the surrounding circumburst densities. We show that a lower limit on those densities can be obtained from early afterglow light curves. We find that ${\lesssim}16{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of short GRBs in our sample took place at densities ≲10−4 cm−3. These densities represent the expected range of values at distances greater than the host galaxy’s virial radii. We find that out of the five SGRBs in our sample that have been found to be observationally hostless, none are consistent with having occurred beyond the virial radius of their birth galaxies. This implies one of two scenarios. Either these observationally hostless SGRBs occurred outside of the half-light radius of their host galaxy, but well within the galactic halo, or in host galaxies at moderate to high redshifts (z ≳ 2) that were missed by follow-up observations.

scholarly journals RAPID OPTICAL FOLLOW-UP OBSERVATIONS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 48-57
Author(s):  
MICHEL BOËR
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Gamma Ray Bursts ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
Gamma Ray Burst ◽  
Infrared Wavelengths ◽  
New Instruments ◽  
Prompt Emission

The prompt emission of gamma-ray burst sources is still the main means of detection, and a privilegied access to the souce dynamics. It is detected from radio to GeV energies, and its study is crucial for the overall understanding of the phenomenom. We present here a panorama of the rapid optical observations, and what can be infered from the data. We will discuss also the new instruments which are planned for the observation of the prompt and early afterglow at optical and infrared wavelengths, with spectral capabilities.

scholarly journals DESGW Optical Follow-up of BBH LIGO-Virgo Events with DECam

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S338) ◽  
pp. 61-64
Author(s):  
Robert E. Butler ◽  
M. Soares-Santos ◽  
J. Annis ◽  
K. Herner ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Dark Energy ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Binary Neutron Star ◽  
Dark Energy Survey ◽  
Binary Black Hole ◽  
The Status ◽  
Energy Survey

AbstractThe DESGW program is a collaboration between members of the Dark Energy Survey, the wider astronomical community, and the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration to search for optical counterparts of gravitational wave events, such as those expected from binary neutron star mergers or neutron star-black hole mergers. While binary black hole (BBH) events are not expected to produce an electromagnetic (EM) signature, emission is certainly not impossible. The DESGW program has performed follow-up observations of four BBH events detected by LIGO in order to search for any possible EM counterpart. Failure to find such counterparts is still relevant in that it produces limits on optical emission from such events. This is a review of follow-up results from O1 BBH events and a discussion of the status of ongoing uniform re-analysis of all BBH events that DESGW has followed up to date.

scholarly journals Search for gamma-ray emission from eight dwarf spheroidal galaxy candidates discovered in year two of Dark Energy Survey with Fermi-LAT data

2016 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shang Li ◽  
Yun-Feng Liang ◽  
Kai-Kai Duan ◽  
Zhao-Qiang Shen ◽  
Xiaoyuan Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dark Energy ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Dark Energy Survey ◽  
Gamma Ray Emission ◽  
Energy Survey

scholarly journals Study of very early phase GRB afterglows with MITSuME

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S279) ◽  
pp. 387-388
Author(s):  
Yoshihiko Saito ◽  
Yoichi Yatsu ◽  
Hideya Nakajima ◽  
Nobuyuki Kawai ◽  
Katsuaki Asano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Gamma Ray Bursts ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Photometric Observations ◽  
Optical Telescopes

AbstractWe review the results of very early phase optical follow-up observations of recent gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with the multi-color optical telescopes “MITSuME”. The MITSuME telescopes were designed to perform “real time” and “automatic” follow-up observations prompted by the GCN alerts via the Internet. The rapidly slewing equatorial mounts allow MITSuME to start photometric observations within 100 seconds after the trigger for several GRBs. In particular, we detected a brightening just after the trigger for two GRBs. These phenomena could be interpreted as the “on-set” of afterglow. In this paper we summarize these optical observations with a brief interpretation.

scholarly journals Constraints on the Physical Properties of GW190814 through Simulations Based on DECam Follow-up Observations by the Dark Energy Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 901 (1) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Morgan ◽  
M. Soares-Santos ◽  
J. Annis ◽  
K. Herner ◽  
A. Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dark Energy ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Dark Energy Survey ◽  
Energy Survey
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