GRB 241105A: a test case for GRB classification and rapid <i>r</i> -process nucleosynthesis channels

ABSTRACT Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) offer a powerful window to probe the progenitor systems responsible for the formation of heavy elements through the rapid neutron capture (r-) process, thanks to their exceptional luminosity, which allows them to be observed across vast cosmic distances. GRB 241105A, observed at a redshift of $z = 2.681$, features a short initial spike ($\sim$1.5 s) and a prolonged weak emission lasting about 64 s, positioning it as a candidate for a compact binary merger and potentially marking it as the most distant merger-driven GRB observed to date. However, the emerging ambiguity in GRB classification necessitates further investigation into the burst’s true nature. Prompt emission analyses, such as hardness ratio, spectral lag, and minimum variability time-scales, yield mixed classifications, while machine-learning-based clustering places GRB 241105A near both long-duration mergers and collapsar GRBs. We conducted observations using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to search for a potential supernova counterpart. Although no conclusive evidence was found for a supernova, the host galaxy’s properties derived from the JWST observations suggest active star formation with low metallicity, and a sub-kpc offset of the afterglow from the host, which appears broadly consistent with a collapsar origin. Nevertheless, a compact binary merger origin cannot be ruled out, as the burst may plausibly arise from a fast progenitor channel. This would have important implications for heavy element enrichment in the early Universe.

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Publication Details

Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Published
2025-09-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf1574
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.31

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article

GRB 241105A: a test case for GRB classification and rapid r -process nucleosynthesis channels

K. Wiersema, J. P. Anderson, A J Goodwin, G. Pignata et al.
2 citations
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
2.31
article

GRB 241105A: a test case for GRB classification and rapid r -process nucleosynthesis channels

K. Wiersema, J. P. Anderson, A J Goodwin, G. Pignata, A. Melandri, J. D. Lyman, Xiaohong Han, P. Jakobsson, Oindabi Mukherjee, J. T. Palmerio, P. D’Avanzo, K. Noysena, M. Gromadzki, G. E. Anderson, Suman Bala, T. E. Müller-Bravo, Benjamin Schneider, S. Belkin, G. Pugliese, A. Sahu, S. R. Oates, S. I. Chastain, D. Pollacco, A. J. Levan, Tapan K. Mukherjee, A. Martín-Carrillo, J. P. U. Fynbo, T Laskar, R. P. Breton, Danny T. H. Steeghs, K. Ackley, Tayyaba Zafar, James K. Leung, Benjamin P. Gompertz, O. J. Roberts, D. Malesani, R Salvaterra, R. B. Sonawane, V. D’Elia, S. McBreen, S. Mattila, N. R. Tanvir, P. Vereš, Gavin Ramsay, R. Brivio, Christopher P. Morley, A. J. van der Horst, M. De Pasquale, L. Li, Thomas L. Killestein, Gavin P. Lamb, A. Rossi, R. Kotak, Sean McGee, D. H. Hartmann, Amit Kumar, A A Chrimes, Desmond O’Neill, M. Arabsalmani, Yuxiang Huang, Luca Izzo, D. K. Galloway, Yongqiang Qiu, A. Saccardi, K. Ulaczyk, Jorge Casares, V. S. Dhillon, Martin J. Dyer, S. Campana, R. L. C. Starling, P. Schady, Utkarsh Pathak, Eric Burns, K. E. Heintz, M. E. Ravasio, C. Wang, Amitabh Gulati, B. Godson, Y Julakanti, I. Worssam, Dimple Dimple, K. Tsalapatas, S. L. Xiong, P O’Brien, Jin Wang, Makenzie E. Wortley
article en
2 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) offer a powerful window to probe the progenitor systems responsible for the formation of heavy elements through the rapid neutron capture (r-) process, thanks to their exceptional luminosity, which allows them to be observed across vast cosmic distances. GRB 241105A, observed at a redshift of $z = 2.681$, features a short initial spike ($\sim$1.5 s) and a prolonged weak emission lasting about 64 s, positioning it as a candidate for a compact binary merger and potentially marking it as the most distant merger-driven GRB observed to date. However, the emerging ambiguity in GRB classification necessitates further investigation into the burst’s true nature. Prompt emission analyses, such as hardness ratio, spectral lag, and minimum variability time-scales, yield mixed classifications, while machine-learning-based clustering places GRB 241105A near both long-duration mergers and collapsar GRBs. We conducted observations using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to search for a potential supernova counterpart. Although no conclusive evidence was found for a supernova, the host galaxy’s properties derived from the JWST observations suggest active star formation with low metallicity, and a sub-kpc offset of the afterglow from the host, which appears broadly consistent with a collapsar origin. Nevertheless, a compact binary merger origin cannot be ruled out, as the burst may plausibly arise from a fast progenitor channel. This would have important implications for heavy element enrichment in the early Universe.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyVol. 544(1)
University College Dublin (IE), University of Messina (IT), Louisiana State University (US), Reykjavík University (IS), University of Copenhagen (DK), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), The University of Sydney (AU), Universities Space Research Association (US), University of Hertfordshire (GB), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), University of Leicester (GB), University of Turku (FI), Universidad de La Laguna (ES), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IN), University of Iceland (IS), University of New Mexico (US), Royal Holloway University of London (GB), University of Toronto (CA), University of Tarapacá (CL), George Washington University (US), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), European University Cyprus (CY), Université Paris Cité (FR), Trinity College Dublin (IE), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), University of Utah (US), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Armagh Observatory & Planetarium (GB), Astronomical Observatory of Rome (IT), Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (IT), Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte (IT), Brera Astronomical Observatory (IT), University of Manchester (GB), University of Warwick (GB), Astrophysique, Instrumentation et Modélisation (FR), Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna (IT), Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (CL), Excellence Cluster Origins (DE), Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano (IT), National Space Science and Technology Center (US), Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CA), FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ), ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (AU), CEA Paris-Saclay (FR), European Southern Observatory (CL), Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (ES), AlbaNova (SE), Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Institute of High Energy Physics (CN), Centrale Méditerranée (FR), Astronomy and Space (AU), Astronomical Observatory (RS), International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (AU), National Astronomical Observatories (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), European Space Research and Technology Centre (NL), University of Warsaw (PL), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IN), University of Bath (GB), Monash University (AU), University of Portsmouth (GB), Liverpool John Moores University (GB), Lancaster University (GB), University of Birmingham (GB), Clemson University (US), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), University of Alabama in Huntsville (US), National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (TH), National Institute for Astrophysics (IT), University of Sheffield (GB), Arturo Prat University (CL), Macquarie University (AU)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, University of Portsmouth, Space Telescope Science Institute, UK Research and Innovation, National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, European Space Agency, Leverhulme Trust, University of Leicester, University of Warwick, European Commission, Monash University, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Turun Yliopisto, Marshall Space Flight Center, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Science and Technology Facilities Council
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Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
2.31
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