GRB 220408B: A Three-episode Burst from a Precessing Jet

Abstract

Abstract Jet precession has previously been proposed to explain the apparently repeating features in the light curves of a few gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). In this paper, we further apply the precession model to a bright GRB 220408B by examining both its temporal and spectral consistency with the predictions of the model. As one of the recently confirmed GRBs observed by our GRID CubeSat mission, GRB 220408B is noteworthy as it exhibits three apparently similar emission episodes. Furthermore, the similarities are reinforced by their strong temporal correlations and similar features in terms of spectral evolution and spectral lags. Our analysis demonstrates that these features can be well explained by the modulated emission of a Fast-Rise-Exponential-Decay (FRED) shape light curve intrinsically produced by a precessing jet with a precession period of 18.4 − 0.2 + 0.2 s, a nutation period of 11.1 − 0.2 + 0.2 s and viewed off-axis. This study provides a straightforward explanation for the complex yet similar multi-episode GRB light curves.