Constraints on very high energy gamma-ray emission from gamma-ray bursts

The Milagro Gamma-Ray Observatory employs a water Cerenkov detector to observe extensive air showers produced by high-energy particles interacting in the Earth's atmosphere. Milagro has a wide field of view and high duty cycle, monitoring the northern sky almost continuously in the 100 GeV to 100 TeV energy range. Milagro is thus uniquely capable of searching for very high energy emission from gamma-ray bursts ( GRBs) during the prompt emission phase. Detection of > 100 GeV counterparts would place powerful constraints on GRB mechanisms. Twenty-five satellite-triggered GRBs occurred within the field of view of Milagro between 2000 January and 2001 December. We have searched for counterparts to these GRBs and found no significant emission from any of the burst positions. Due to the absorption of high-energy gamma rays by the extragalactic background light, detections are only expected to be possible for redshifts less than similar to 0.5. Three of the GRBs studied have measured redshifts. GRB 010921 has a redshift low enough ( 0.45) to allow an upper limit on the fluence to place an observational constraint on potential GRB models.