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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

FIRST VERY LOW FREQUENCY DETECTION OF SHORT REPEATED BURSTS FROM MAGNETAR SGR J1550-5418

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Author(s):
Tanaka, Y. T. [1] ; Raulin, Jean-Pierre [2] ; Bertoni, Fernando C. P. [2] ; Fagundes, P. R. [3] ; Chau, J. [4] ; Schuch, N. J. [5] ; Hayakawa, M. [6] ; Hobara, Y. [6] ; Terasawa, T. [7] ; Takahashi, T. [1]
Total Authors: 10
Affiliation:
[1] Japan Aerosp Explorat Agcy, Inst Space & Astronaut Sci, Tokyo - Japan
[2] Presbyterian Mackenzie Univ, CRAAM, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[3] Univ Vale Paraiba, Sao Jose Dos Campos - Brazil
[4] Inst Geofis Peru, Radio Observ Jicamarca, Lima - Peru
[5] INPEs So Reg Space Res Ctr, Santa Maria, RS - Brazil
[6] Univ Electrocommun, Chofu, Tokyo 182 - Japan
[7] Univ Tokyo, Inst Cosm Ray Res, Tokyo 1138654 - Japan
Total Affiliations: 7
Document type: Journal article
Source: Astrophysical Journal Letters; v. 721, n. 1, p. L24-L27, SEP 20 2010.
Web of Science Citations: 20
Abstract

We report on the first detection of ionospheric disturbances caused by short repeated gamma-ray bursts from the magnetar SGR J1550-5418. Very low frequency (VLF) radio wave data obtained in South America clearly show sudden amplitude and phase changes at the corresponding times of eight soft gamma-ray repeater bursts. Maximum amplitude and phase changes of the VLF signals appear to be correlated with the gamma-ray fluence. On the other hand, VLF recovery timescales do not show any significant correlation with the fluence, possibly suggesting that the bursts' spectra are not similar to each other. In summary, Earth's ionosphere can be used as a very large gamma-ray detector and the VLF observations provide us with a new method to monitor high-energy astrophysical phenomena without interruption such as Earth occultation. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 06/02979-0 - Monitoring the solar activity and the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) using a network of very low frequency (VLF) receivers: SAVNET - South America VLF NETwork
Grantee:Jean Pierre Raulin
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants