A SEARCH FOR AN X-RAY COUNTERPART TO THE EXTREMELY BRIGHT 1993 JANUARY 31 GAMMA-RAY BURST

The classical gamma-ray burst of 1993 January 31 (GRB 930131) is the h ighest peak flux burst ever recorded with CGRO/BATSE. It was also obse rved by other satellites. Its position was determined to within a narr ow annulus by the Third Interplanetary Network (IPN). We searched for an X-ray counterpart to this bright burst with ASCA on 1996 January 9, and detected one X-ray source in the IPN annulus. Its position coinci des with an X-ray source found with ROSAT, which had been identified w ith the normal F-type star HR 4657. The Bur and spectrum obtained with ASCA are consistent with those for an F-type star, and we confirm tha t the detected X-ray emission comes from HR 4657. Although this source is in the IPN annulus, the high chance probability of finding an X-ra y source in the annulus does not justify the association of it with GR B 930131, We discuss whether or not this X-ray source is associated wi th GRB 930131.