GRB 011211

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title: "GRB 011211" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["long-duration-gamma-ray-bursts", "astronomical-objects-discovered-in-2001", "december-2001", "crater-(constellation)"] description: "Gamma-ray burst event detected December 11, 2001" topic_path: "general/long-duration-gamma-ray-bursts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRB_011211" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Gamma-ray burst event detected December 11, 2001 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox astronomical event"]

Field	Value
ra
dec
energy	5 ergs
::

| ra = | dec = | energy = 5 ergs

GRB 011211 was a gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected on December 11, 2001. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash associated with an explosion in a distant galaxy and producing gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation, and often followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio).

Observations

GRB 011211 was detected by the Italian–Dutch X-ray astronomy satellite BeppoSAX on 11 December 2001 at 19:09 UTC. The burst lasted 270 seconds, making it the longest burst that had ever been detected by BeppoSAX up to that point. A spectrum recorded by the Yepun telescope indicated a redshift of z = 2.14.

Supernova relation

A team of researchers at the University of Leicester conducted an analysis of the burst's X-ray afterglow with the XMM-Newton observatory. They found evidence for emission lines of magnesium, silicon, sulphur, and various other chemical elements. This was the first detection of these elements in the spectrum of a GRB. These observations provided strong evidence for a relation between gamma-ray bursts and supernova. However, other astronomers pointed out flaws in the methodology of the Leicester research team, such as the data reduction methods, the low statistical significance of the emission lines, and the low spectral resolution of the instrument used. Despite a follow-up paper from the Leicester team to address these concerns, the findings remained controversial, and GRB 020813 was given the distinction of being the first burst with direct evidence of a supernova relation.

Host galaxy

Optical, infrared, and X-ray observations taken by the Hubble Space Telescope between 14 and 59 days after the burst's detection revealed a blue galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 24.95 ± 0.11. Like several other gamma-ray burst hosts, Lyman alpha emission was detected from this galaxy, supporting the theory that the progenitors of gamma-ray burst tend to be metal-poor.

Notes

References

1. Gandolfi, Giangiacomo. (12 December 2001). "GRB011211(=XRF011211): BeppoSAX refined positions". GCN Circulars.
2. Gandolfi, Giangiacomo. (12 December 2001). "BeppoSAX Alert: GRB011211(=XRF011211)". GCN Circulars.
3. Fruchter, Andrew S.. (13 December 2001). "GRB 011211: Optical Spectroscopy". GCN Circulars.
4. Osborne, Julian. (5 April 2002). "XMM observation of gamma ray burst shows supernova connection". University of Leicester.
5. Reeves, J. N.. (4 April 2002). "The signature of supernova ejecta measured in the X-ray afterglow of the Gamma Ray Burst 011211". Nature.
6. (1 February 2003). "Observations of the X-Ray Afterglows of GRB 011211 and GRB 001025 by XMM-Newton". The Astrophysical Journal.
7. (20 February 2003). "Statistical Re-examination of Reported Emission Lines in the X-ray Afterglow of GRB 011211". [[Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society]].
8. Butler, Nathaniel R.. (10 November 2003). "The X-ray Afterglows of GRB 020813 and GRB 021004 with CHANDRA HETGS: Possible Evidence for a Supernova Prior to GRB 020813". The Astrophysical Journal.
9. Reeves, J. N.. (4 May 2003). "Soft X-ray emission lines in the afterglow spectrum of GRB 011211: A detailed XMM-Newton analysis". Astronomy & Astrophysics.
10. (24 March 2003). "Cosmic Forensics Confirms Gamma-Ray Burst And Supernova Connection". NASA.
11. Fazekas, Andrew. (2 April 2003). "Supernova is 'smoking gun' in gamma-ray-burst whodunit". Astronomy.
12. Jakobsson, P.. (10 July 2003). "The Afterglow and Host Galaxy of GRB 011211". Astronomy and Astrophysics.
13. Fynbo, J. P. U.. (19 June 2003). "On the Ly α emission from gamma-ray burst host galaxies: Evidence for low metallicities". Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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