Spectral evolution of Fermi/GBM short gamma-ray bursts

We study the spectral evolution of 13 short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the Gamma Burst Monitor onboard Fermi. We study spectra resolved in time at the level of 2–512 ms in the 8 keV–35 MeV energy range. We find a strong correlation between the observed peak energy Epeak and the flux P within individual short GRBs. The slope of the Epeak∝Ps correlation for individual bursts ranges between ∼0.4 and ∼1. There is no correlation between the low-energy spectral index and the peak energy or the flux. Our results show that in our 13 short GRBs, Epeak evolves in time tracking the flux. This behaviour is similar to what found in the population of long GRBs and it is in agreement with the evidence that long GRBs and (the still few) short GRBs with measured redshifts follow the same rest-frame Epeak–Liso correlation. Its origin is most likely to be found in the radiative mechanism that has to be the same in both classes of GRBs.