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Detecting the thermal emission from double neutron star merger events is a challenging task because of the quick fading of the observed flux. In order to create an efficient observing strategy for their observing method it is crucial to know their intrinsic rate. Unfortunately, the numerous models existing today predict this rate on a vary wide range. Hence, our goal in this paper is to investigate the effect of different level of approximations on the relative rate predictions. Also, we study the effect of distinct ejecta mass lay-outs on the light curve. We find that the ratio of the expected kilonova detections of the spherical to axisymmetrical models is 6:1 (or 2:1, depending on the input parameter set applied in our work). Nevertheless, the light curve shape is only slightly affected by the various ejecta alignments. This means that different ejecta layouts can produce light curves with similar shapes making it a challenging task to infer the structure of the matter outflow. Thus, we conclude that the uncertainty in the rate predictions arising from the various ejecta mass distribution models is negligible compared to the errors present in other input parameters (e.g. binary neutron star merger rate). In addition, we show that up to moderate redshifts (z < 0.2) the redshift distribution type (observed or uniform in volume) does not affect the expected relative rate estimations., Comment: Published in MNRAS

Gamma-ray bursts can be divided into three groups: short-, intermediate and long-duration bursts. While the progenitors of the short and long ones are relatively known, the progenitor objects of the intermediate-duration bursts are generally unknown, however, recent statistical studies suggest, that they should be related to the long-duration bursts. In this work we investigate whether there is a differ- ence between the global parameters of the X-ray flashes and intermediate-duration group of gamma-ray bursts. The statistical tests do not show any significant discrepancy regarding most of the parameters, except the BAT photon index, which is only a consequence of the defintion of the X-ray flashes., Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Astronomische Nachrichten

Gamma-ray bursts can be divided into three groups: short-, intermediate and long-duration bursts. While the progenitors of the short and long ones are relatively known, the progenitor objects of the intermediate-duration bursts are generally unknown, however, recent statistical studies suggest, that they should be related to the long-duration bursts. In this work we investigate whether there is a differ- ence between the global parameters of the X-ray flashes and intermediate-duration group of gamma-ray bursts. The statistical tests do not show any significant discrepancy regarding most of the parameters, except the BAT photon index, which is only a consequence of the defintion of the X-ray flashes., Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Astronomische Nachrichten

We investigated the main prompt and afterglow emission parameters of gamma-ray bursts detected by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and X-Ray Telescope installed on the Swift satellite. Our aim was to look for differences or connections between the different types of gamma-ray bursts, so we compared the BAT fluences, 1-sec peak photon fluxes, photon indices, XRT early fluxes, initial temporal decay and spectral indices. We found that there might be a connection between the XRT initial decay index and XRT early flux/BAT photon index. Using statistical tools we also determined that beside the duration and hardness ratios, the means of the \gamma- and X-ray--fluences and the \gamma-ray photon index differ significantly between the three types of bursts., Comment: 7th Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium, GRB 2013: paper 27 in eConf Proceedings C1304143

We present a method for determining the background of Fermi GBM GRBs using the satellite positional information and a physical model. Since the polynomial fitting method typically used for GRBs is generally only indicative of the background over relatively short timescales, this method is particularly useful in the cases of long GRBs or those which have Autonomous Repoint Request (ARR) and a background with much variability on short timescales. We give a Direction Dependent Background Fitting (DDBF) method for separating the motion effects from the real data and calculate the duration (T90 and T50, as well as confidence intervals) of the nine example bursts, from which two resulted an ARR. We also summarize the features of our method and compare it qualitatively with the official GBM Catalogue. Our background filtering method uses a model based on the physical information of the satellite position. Therefore, it has many advantages compared to previous methods. It can fit long background intervals, remove all the features caused by the rocking behaviour of the satellite, and search for long emissions or not-triggered events. Furthermore, many part of the fitting have now been automatised, and the method have been shown to work for both Sky Survey mode and ARR mode data. Future work will provide a burst catalogue with DDBF., Comment: 16 pages, 28 figures

The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) detects gamma-rays in the energy range 8 keV - 40 MeV. We developed a new background fitting process of these data, based on the motion of the satellite. Here we summarize this method, called Direction Dependent Background Fitting (DDBF), regarding the GBM triggered catalog. We also give some preliminary results and compare the duration parameters with the 2-years Fermi Burst Catalog., Comment: 2012 Fermi Symposium proceedings - eConf C121028

The Swift satellite made a real break through with measuring simultaneously the gamma X-ray and optical data of GRBs, effectively. Although, the satellite measures the gamma, X-ray and optical properties almost in the same time a significant fractions of GRBs remain undetected in the optical domain. In a large number of cases only an upper bound is obtained. Survival analysis is a tool for studying samples where a part of the cases has only an upper (lower) limit. The obtained survival function may depend on some other variables. The Cox regression is a way to study these dependencies. We studied the dependence of the optical brightness (obtained by the UVOT) on the gamma and X-ray properties, measured by the BAT and XRT on board of the Swift satellite. We showed that the gamma peak flux has the greatest impact on the afterglow's optical brightness while the gamma photon index and the X-ray flux do not. This effect probably originates in the energetics of the jet launched from the central engine of the GRB which triggers the afterglow., Comment: 2012 Fermi Symposium proceedings - eConf C121028

We investigated the main prompt and afterglow emission parameters of gamma-ray bursts detected by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and X-Ray Telescope installed on the Swift satellite. Our aim was to look for differences or connections between the different types of gamma-ray bursts, so we compared the BAT fluences, 1-sec peak photon fluxes, photon indices, XRT early fluxes, initial temporal decay and spectral indices. We found that there might be a connection between the XRT initial decay index and XRT early flux/BAT photon index. Using statistical tools we also determined that beside the duration and hardness ratios, the means of the \gamma- and X-ray--fluences and the \gamma-ray photon index differ significantly between the three types of bursts., Comment: 7th Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium, GRB 2013: paper 27 in eConf Proceedings C1304143

We present a method for determining the background of Fermi GBM GRBs using the satellite positional information and a physical model. Since the polynomial fitting method typically used for GRBs is generally only indicative of the background over relatively short timescales, this method is particularly useful in the cases of long GRBs or those which have Autonomous Repoint Request (ARR) and a background with much variability on short timescales. We give a Direction Dependent Background Fitting (DDBF) method for separating the motion effects from the real data and calculate the duration (T90 and T50, as well as confidence intervals) of the nine example bursts, from which two resulted an ARR. We also summarize the features of our method and compare it qualitatively with the official GBM Catalogue. Our background filtering method uses a model based on the physical information of the satellite position. Therefore, it has many advantages compared to previous methods. It can fit long background intervals, remove all the features caused by the rocking behaviour of the satellite, and search for long emissions or not-triggered events. Furthermore, many part of the fitting have now been automatised, and the method have been shown to work for both Sky Survey mode and ARR mode data. Future work will provide a burst catalogue with DDBF., Comment: 16 pages, 28 figures

The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) detects gamma-rays in the energy range 8 keV - 40 MeV. We developed a new background fitting process of these data, based on the motion of the satellite. Here we summarize this method, called Direction Dependent Background Fitting (DDBF), regarding the GBM triggered catalog. We also give some preliminary results and compare the duration parameters with the 2-years Fermi Burst Catalog., Comment: 2012 Fermi Symposium proceedings - eConf C121028

The Swift satellite made a real break through with measuring simultaneously the gamma X-ray and optical data of GRBs, effectively. Although, the satellite measures the gamma, X-ray and optical properties almost in the same time a significant fractions of GRBs remain undetected in the optical domain. In a large number of cases only an upper bound is obtained. Survival analysis is a tool for studying samples where a part of the cases has only an upper (lower) limit. The obtained survival function may depend on some other variables. The Cox regression is a way to study these dependencies. We studied the dependence of the optical brightness (obtained by the UVOT) on the gamma and X-ray properties, measured by the BAT and XRT on board of the Swift satellite. We showed that the gamma peak flux has the greatest impact on the afterglow's optical brightness while the gamma photon index and the X-ray flux do not. This effect probably originates in the energetics of the jet launched from the central engine of the GRB which triggers the afterglow., Comment: 2012 Fermi Symposium proceedings - eConf C121028

We present the results of the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray analysis of some recent GRBs. The data were obtained by the automated P60 telescope and the Swift telescope (UVOT, XRT and BAT). We present some example fits for the lightcurves. The data reduction and the investigations were made by the Konkoly Observatory HEART group (http://www.konkoly.hu/HEART/index.html)., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, appeared in GAMMA RAY BURSTS 2010, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1358, pp. 134-137 (2011)

We present the results of the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray analysis of some recent GRBs. The data were obtained by the automated P60 telescope and the Swift telescope (UVOT, XRT and BAT). We present some example fits for the lightcurves. The data reduction and the investigations were made by the Konkoly Observatory HEART group (http://www.konkoly.hu/HEART/index.html)., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, appeared in GAMMA RAY BURSTS 2010, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1358, pp. 134-137 (2011)