[16.16] Application of the Variability $\rightarrow$ Luminosity Indicator to X-Ray Flashes Observed by BeppoSAX and BATSE

HEAD 2003 Meeting
Session 16. Gamma-ray Bursts III
Poster, Sunday-Wednesday, March 23, 2003, Duration of Meeting

[16.16] Application of the Variability arrow Luminosity Indicator to X-Ray Flashes Observed by BeppoSAX and BATSE

D. E. Reichart (U. North Carolina), D. Q. Lamb (U. Chicago), R. M Kippen (LANL), P. M. Woods (NSSTC), J. Heise (SRON), J. J. M. in't Zand (SRON, U. Utrecht), M. S. Briggs, R. D. Preece (NSSTC, U. Alabama), M. Nysewander (U. North Carolina)

We have applied the proposed variability arrow luminosity indicator to ten ``X-Ray Flashes'' (XRFs) observed by the Wide-Field Cameras on BeppoSAX for which BATSE survey data exists. Our results suggest that the variability arrow luminosity indicator probably works for XRFs. Assuming this to be so, we find that the luminosity and redshift distributions of XRFs are consistent with those of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and therefore most XRFs are probably not very high redshift GRBs. The fact that XRFs and GRBs have similar luminosity and redshift distributions suggests that XRFs and long-duration GRBs are produced by a similar mechanism.

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