Cosmic gamma-ray bursts - The most energetic phenomenon in the universe

DOI: 
10.1023/A:1002109424539
Publication date: 
01/01/1998
Main author: 
Castro-Tirado, AJ
IAA authors: 
Authors: 
Castro-Tirado, AJ
Journal: 
ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE SCIENCE
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
263
Pages: 
15-26
Number: 
Abstract: 
Since their discovery in 1973, Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) have remained for many years one of the most elusive mysteries in High Energy-Astrophysics. Despite the fact that similar to 800 GRBs are detected every year in the full sky, only a few of them can be localized accurately to less than half a degree. Thus the main problem regarding the nature of GRBs has usually been the lack of knowledge of their distance scale. For many years, followup observations by other satellites and ground-based telescopes were conducted, but no counterparts at other wavelengths were found. The breakthrough took place in 1997, thanks to the observation by BSAX and RXTE of the fading; X-ray emission that follows the more energetic gamma-ray photons once the GRB event has ended. This emission (the afterglow) extends at longer wavelengths, and the good accuracy in the position determination has led to the discovery of the first counterparts at other wavelengths, greatly improving our understanding of these puzzling sources. Now it is widely accepted that GRBs originate at cosmological distances but the central engines that power these extraordinary events remain still unknown.
Database: 
WOK
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/1998Ap&SS.263...15C/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
1998Ap&SS.263...15C
Keywords: