GCN Circular 17097

V. Bhalerao (IUCAA), S. B. Cenko (NASA/GSFC), L. P. Singer (Caltech)
���and ���
M. M. Kasliwal (Carnegie Observatories/Princeton)
��� ���
report on behalf of the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF)
collaboration:

We searched for optical counterparts of GRB 141124A
��� (GCN Notice http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/other/438503903.fermi)
 using the Palomar 48-inch Oschin telescope (P48). At about 18 minutes
after the burst, we began imaging 30 fields spanning an area of 2
���12���
 deg2, covering most of the 1-sigma statistical+systematic region of the
initial Fermi GBM localization, as well as about half of the 1-sigma
statistical + systematic region of the final Fermi GBM localization (Fermi
trigger 438503903 / 141124277). Based on the GBM localization, we estimate
a
���44%
 chance that these fields contain the true location of the source.

Sifting through candidate variable sources using
���
image subtraction and standard iPTF vetting procedures, we detected the
��� ���
following optical transient candidates
���:���


iPTF14ihm
RA (J2000) 08:22:15.03 (125.562634 deg)
Dec (J2000) +74:50:00.5 (+74.833477 deg)
Consistent with stellar source, photometry does not show rapid evolution.

iPTF14ihn
RA (J2000) 10:36:56.79 (159.236626 deg)
Dec (J2000) +71:10:52.0 (+71.181099 deg)
Likely high proper motion star, photometry does not show rapid evolution.

iPTF14iho
RA (J2000) 09:45:09.42 (146.289253 deg)
Dec (J2000) +74:20:12.1 (+74.336707 deg)
Near undocumented galaxy, photometry does not show rapid evolution.

iPTF14ihp
RA (J2000) 10:54:59.28 (163.746991 deg)
Dec (J2000) +68:11:53.5 (+68.198184 deg)
Photometry shows decline over 60-minute period, but the image subtraction
residuals are centered on a stellar source in the reference image. This is
most likely a galactic variable.

���We conclude that we have not detected the optical afterglow of GRB
141124A���.