GRB 021004: A Possible Shell Nebula around a Wolf-Rayet Star Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitor

The rapid localization of GRB 021004 by the HETE-2 satellite allowed nearly continuous monitoring of its early optical afterglow decay, as well as high-quality optical spectra that determined a redshift of z3=2.328 for its host galaxy, an active starburst galaxy with strong Lyman-alpha emission and several absorption lines. Spectral observations show multiple absorbers at z3A=2.323, z3B= 2.317, and z3C= 2.293 blueshifted by 450, 990, and 3,155 km/s respectively relative to the host galaxy Lyman-alpha emission. We argue that these correspond to a fragmented shell nebula that has been radiatively accelerated by the gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow at a distance greater than 0.3 pc from a Wolf-Rayet star progenitor. The chemical abundance ratios indicate that the nebula is overabundant in carbon and silicon. The high level of carbon and silicon is consistent with a swept-up shell nebula gradually enriched by a WCL progenitor wind over the lifetime of the nebula prior to the GRB onset. The detection of statistically significant fluctuations and color changes about the jet-like optical decay further supports this interpretation since fluctuations must be present at some level due to inhomogeneities in a clumpy stellar wind medium or if the progenitor has undergone massive ejection prior to the GRB onset. This evidence suggests that the mass-loss process in a Wolf-Rayet star might lead naturally to an iron-core collapse with sufficient angular momentum that could serve as a suitable GRB progenitor.