Spectral Properties of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts

Abstract

The distribution of GRB durations is bimodal, but there is little additional evidence to support the division of GRBs into short and long classes. Based on simple hardness ratios, several studies have shown a tendency for longer GRBs to have softer energy spectra. Using a database of standard model fits to BATSE GRBs, we compare the distributions of spectral parameters for short and long bursts. Our preliminary results show that the average spectral break energy differs discontinuously between short and long burst classes, but within each class shows only a weak dependence on burst duration.

3 pages, 1 postscript figure. To appear in the proceedings of the October 2000 Rome Workshop "Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era"