title: Structure in the early afterglow light curve of the gamma-ray burst of 29 March 2003.
abstract: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are energetic explosions that for 0.01-100 s are the brightest gamma-ray sources in the sky. Observations of the early evolution of afterglows are expected to provide clues about the nature of the bursts, but their rapid fading has hampered such studies; some recent rapid localizations of bursts have improved the situation. Here we report an early detection of the very bright afterglow of the burst of 29 March 2003 (GRB030329). Our data show that, even early in the afterglow phase, the light curve shows unexpectedly complicated structures superimposed on the fading background.
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. uemura@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishioka
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaoka
authors.forename: Berto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Monard
authors.forename: Daisaku
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nogami
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugie
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi