EVIDENCE FOR A LATE-TIME OUTBURST OF THE X-RAY AFTERGLOW OF GB970508 FROM BEPPOSAX

The gamma-ray burst GB970508 was observed simultaneously by the Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GRBM) and one of the X-ray Wide Field Cameras (WFC) aboard BeppoSAX. The latter provided a position within 1.9' radius. A series of followup observations with the Narrow Field Intruments (NFI ) was then performed in a period from similar to 6 hours to 6 days aft er the main event. A previously unknown source, which we associate wit h the afterglow of the GRB, was discovered in the error box. We find t hat, after the initial burst, X-ray emission is still present and deca ys as similar to t(-1.1) up to similar to 6 x 10(4) s. This is followe d by a burst of activity with a duration similar to 10(5) s. The energ y produced in this event is a substantial fraction of the total energy of the GRB, which means that the afterglow is not a remnant of the in itial burst (the GRB) that fades away smoothly. Our results support th e idea that the processes generating the GRB and its afterglow are the same.