Insights into the physics of gamma-ray bursts from the high-energy extension of their prompt emission spectra

Abstract

The study of the high-energy part (MeV-GeV) of the spectrum of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can play a crucial role in investigating the physics of prompt emission, but it is often hampered by low statistics and the paucity of GeV observations. In this work, we analyze the prompt emission spectra of the 22 brightest GRBs which have been simultaneously observed by Fermi/GBM and Fermi/LAT, spanning six orders of magnitude in energy. The high-energy photon spectra can be modeled with a power-law N(E)∝E−β possibly featuring an exponential cutoff. We find that, with the inclusion of the LAT data, the spectral index β is softer than what is typically inferred from the analysis of Fermi/GBM data alone. Under the assumption that the emission is synchrotron, we derived a median value of the index p ∼ 2.79 of the power-law energy distribution of accelerated particles (N(γ)∝γ−p). In nine out of 22 GRB spectra, we find a significant presence of an exponential cutoff at high energy, ranging between 14 and 298 MeV. By interpreting the observed cutoff as a sign of pair-production opacity, we estimate the jet bulk Lorentz factor Γ, finding values in the range 130–330. These values are consistent with those inferred from the afterglow light curve onset time. Finally, by combining the information from the high-energy prompt emission spectrum with the afterglow light curve, we exploited a promising method to derive the distance R from the central engine where the prompt emission occurs. The distances (R > 1013 − 15 cm) inferred for the only two GRBs in our sample that are suitable for the application of this method, which have only lower limits on their cutoff energies, suggest large emitting regions, although they are still compatible with the standard model. Larger samples of GRBs with measured cutoff energies and afterglow deceleration time will allow for more informative values to be derived. These results highlight the importance of including high-energy data, when available, in the study of prompt spectra and their role in addressing the current challenges of the GRB standard model.