XRF 050406 late-time flattening: an inverse Compton component?

摘要

Aims. We investigate for possible evidence of inverse Compton ( IC) emission in the X-ray afterglow of XRF 050406. Methods. In the framework of the standard fireball model, we show how the late-time flattening observed in the X-ray light curve between similar to 10(4) s and similar to 10(6) s can be explained in a synchrotron-plus-IC scenario when the IC peak frequency crosses the X-ray band. Results. We thus conclude that the appearance of an IC component above the synchrotron one at late times successfully accounts for these X-ray observations.