A Tale of Two Faint Bursts: GRB 050223 and GRB 050911.

Authors :: Page, K. L.
Barthelmy, S. D.
Beardmore, A. P.
Burrows, D. N.
Campana, S.
Chincharini, G.
Cummings, J. R.
Cusumano, G.
Gehrels, N.
Giommi, P.
Goad, M. R.
Godet, O.
Graham, J.
Kaneko, Y.
Kennea, J. A.
Mangano, V.
Markwardt, C. B.
O'Brien, P. T.
Osborne, J. P.
Reichart, D. E.
Source :: AIP Conference Proceedings. 8/21/2007, Vol. 924 Issue 1, p453-456. 4p. 1 Chart, 2 Graphs.
Publication Year :: 2007
Abstract: GRBs 050223 and 050911 are examples of Swift bursts with two of the faintest X-ray afterglows at (relatively) early times. While a faint, fading X-ray afterglow was located for GRB 050223, GRB 050911 was not detected, making any X-ray afterglow extremely faint. The faintness of the afterglow of GRB 050223 could be explained by a large opening or viewing angle, or by the burst being at high redshift. The non-detection of GRB 050911 may indicate the burst occurred in a low-density environment, or, alternatively, was due to a compact object merger, in spite of the apparent long duration of the burst. © 2007 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]