Detection of Polarization in the Afterglow of GRB 990510 with the ESO Very Large Telescope

Abstract

Following a BeppoSAX alert and the discovery of the OT at SAAO, we observed GRB 990510 with the FORS instrument on ESO's VLT Unit 1 (Antu). The burst is unremarkable in gamma rays, but in optical is the first one to show good evidence for jetlike outflow. We report the detection of significant linear polarization in the afterglow: it is 1.6 ± 0.2% 0.86 days after trigger, and after 1.81 days is consistent with that same value, but much more uncertain. The polarization angle is constant on a timescale of hours and may be constant over one day. We conclude that the polarization is intrinsic to the source and due to the synchrotron nature of the emission, and discuss the random and ordered field geometries that may be responsible for it.