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A new γ-ray burst classification scheme from GRB 060614

Nature volume 444, pages 1044–1046 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are known to come in two duration classes1, separated at ∼2 s. Long-duration bursts originate from star-forming regions in galaxies2, have accompanying supernovae when these are near enough to observe and are probably caused by massive-star collapsars3. Recent observations4,5,6,7,8,9,10 show that short-duration bursts originate in regions within their host galaxies that have lower star-formation rates, consistent with binary neutron star or neutron star–black hole mergers11,12. Moreover, although their hosts are predominantly nearby galaxies, no supernovae have been so far associated with short-duration GRBs. Here we report that the bright, nearby GRB 060614 does not fit into either class. Its ∼102-s duration groups it with long-duration GRBs, while its temporal lag and peak luminosity fall entirely within the short-duration GRB subclass. Moreover, very deep optical observations exclude an accompanying supernova13,14,15, similar to short-duration GRBs. This combination of a long-duration event without an accompanying supernova poses a challenge to both the collapsar and the merging-neutron-star interpretations and opens the door to a new GRB classification scheme that straddles both long- and short-duration bursts.

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Figure 1: The light curve of GRB 060614 as observed with the BAT.
Figure 2: Spectral lag as a function of peak luminosity showing GRB 060614 in the region of short-duration GRBs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA

    N. Gehrels, J. P. Norris, S. D. Barthelmy, C. B. Markwardt, A. M. Parsons, T. Sakamoto & M. Stamatikos

  2. KIPAC, Stanford University, PO Box 20450, MS 29, California, 94309, Stanford, USA

    J. Granot

  3. USRA, NSSTC,

    Y. Kaneko

  4. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, NSSTC, VP-62, Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Drive, Alabama, 35805, USA

    C. Kouveliotou

  5. Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA

    C. B. Markwardt

  6. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics,

    P. Mészáros, J. A. Nousek, P. W. A. Roming & P. Schady

  7. Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA

    P. Mészáros

  8. Theoretical Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, MS 130-33, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA

    E. Nakar

  9. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    P. T. O'Brien

  10. Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, RH5 6NT, Dorking, UK

    M. Page & P. Schady

  11. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA

    D. M. Palmer

  12. Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, PO Box 117, Tennessee, 37831-0117, USA

    T. Sakamoto & M. Stamatikos

  13. Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22904-4325, USA

    C. L. Sarazin

  14. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA

    S. E. Woosley

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  1. N. Gehrels
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Correspondence to N. Gehrels.

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Gehrels, N., Norris, J., Barthelmy, S. et al. A new γ-ray burst classification scheme from GRB 060614. Nature 444, 1044–1046 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05376

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