Swift observations of GRB 050712

Abstract

We present the results of X-ray and optical observations of GRB 050712 performed by Swift. The X-ray light curve of this burst exhibits episodes of flares in the first 1000 s, the same epoch at which the UVOT detected an optical counterpart. A shallow X-ray decay, with a decay slope of alpha = -0.73, followed and lasted similar to 70 ks. This behaviour can be explained in terms of activity of the gamma-ray burst 'inner engine', with the possibility that the last flare is caused by the interaction of the ejecta with the surrounding medium.