Publication Date:
2019-08-13
Description:
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most fascinating occurrences in the universe. They are powerful explosions, visible to high redshift, and thought to be the signature of black hole formation. The Swift Observatory has been detecting 100 bursts per year for 4 years and has greatly stimulated the field with new findings. Observations are made of the X-ray and optical afterglow from approximately 1 minute after the burst, continuing for days. Evidence is building that the long and short duration subcategories of GRBs have very different origins: massive star core collapse to a black hole for long bursts and binary neutron star coalescence to a black hole for short bursts. The similarity to Type II and Ia supernovae originating from young and old stellar progenitors is striking. Bursts are providing a new tool to study the high redshift universe. Swift has detected several events at z〉5 and one at z=6.7 giving metallicity measurements and other data on galaxies at previously inaccessible distances. The talk will present the latest results from Swift in GRB astronomy.
Keywords:
Astronomy
Type:
Nonlinear Processes in Astrophysical Plasma; Sep 28, 2009 - Oct 02, 2009; Santa Barbara, CA; United States|Astro2010: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Program Prioritization Panels; Jun 08, 2009 - Jun 11, 2009; Pasadena, California; United States|American Astronomical Society Meeting; Jan 07, 2008 - Jan 11, 2008; Austin, TX; United States|Stellar Death and Supernovae Conference; Aug 17, 2009 - Aug 21, 2009; Santa Barbara, CA; United States
Format:
text
