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Gamma-ray bursts: the most powerful cosmic explosions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2016

Lex Kaper
Lex Kaper*
Affiliation:
Sterrenkundig Instituut Anton Pannekoek, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Kruislaan 403, NL-1098 SJ Amsterdam, Nederland

Abstract

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With the detection of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows, the cosmological origin of GRBs has been firmly established. Recent observations suggest that (long-duration) GRBs are due to the collapse of a massive star forming a black hole. Besides theoretical arguments, observational evidence supporting this hypothesis comes from the coincidence of several GRBs with a supernova. Also, all accurately located GRBs are contained in the optical (restframe UV) extent of distant, blue galaxies. Some of these host galaxies show relatively high star-formation rates, which is expected when massive stars and GRBs are physically linked. Alternatively, GRBs can be produced by the merging of a binary neutron star system, such as the Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar. Very likely GRBs trace the massive-star populations in distant galaxies. With their enormous brightness, GRBs are powerful probes of the early universe, providing information on the properties of their host galaxies, the cosmic star-formation history, and potentially the first generations of massive stars.

Type
Part 1. Atmospheres of Massive Stars
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 212: A Massive Star Odyssey: From Main Sequence to Supernova , 2003 , pp. 106 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 2003 

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