“Double-tracking” Characteristics of the Spectral Evolution of GRB 131231A: Synchrotron Origin?

Abstract

The characteristics of the spectral evolution of the prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which are closely related to the radiation mechanism (synchrotron or photosphere), are still an unsolved subject. Here, by performing the detailed time-resolved spectral fitting of GRB 131231A, which has a very bright and well-defined single pulse, some interesting spectral evolution features have been found. (i) Both the low-energy spectral index α and the peak energy E p exhibit the “flux-tracking” pattern (“double-tracking” characteristics). (ii) The parameter relations, i.e., F (the energy flux)- α , F – E p , and E p – α , along with the analogous Yonetoku E p – L γ ,iso relation for the different time-resolved spectra, show strong monotonous (positive) correlations, both in the rising and the decaying phases. (iii) The values of α do not exceed the synchrotron limit ( α  = −2/3) in all slices across the pulse, favoring the synchrotron origin. We argue that the one-zone synchrotron emission model with the emitter streaming away at a large distance from the central engine can explain all of these special spectral evolution characteristics.