A Slow Explosion
Explanation:
Why would a
gamma ray burst fade so slowly?
This behavior, recorded last October,
is considered a new clue into the cause of
gamma-ray bursts,
the most powerful explosions known in the universe.
The burst, first detected by the orbiting
HETE satellite
and later tracked by numerous ground-based telescopes,
showed an unusually slow and tumultuous decay in visible light.
Speculations on the cause of the
unusual light curve include a blast wave striking a
windy circumburst medium,
a blast wave energetically refreshed by a faster outgoing shock,
and non-uniformity in a fast moving jet.
Pictured above is the massive
Wolf-Rayet star WR124, a star itself undergoing a
slow explosion
by producing a very powerful but tumultuous
wind.
Popular candidate progenitor sources for
GRBs include
supernova or
hypernova explosions from massive stars,
possibly ones with similarities to
Wolf-Rayet stars.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
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rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.