Broadband observations of the naked-eye gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B.

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Abstract

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) release copious amounts of energy across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and so provide a window into the process of black hole formation from the collapse of massive stars. Previous early optical observations of even the most exceptional GRBs (990123 and 030329) lacked both the temporal resolution to probe the optical flash in detail and the accuracy needed to trace the transition from the prompt emission within the outflow to external shocks caused by interaction with the progenitor environment. Here we report observations of the extraordinarily bright prompt optical and gamma-ray emission of GRB 080319B that provide diagnostics within seconds of its formation, followed by broadband observations of the afterglow decay that continued for weeks. We show that the prompt emission stems from a single physical region, implying an extremely relativistic outflow that propagates within the narrow inner core of a two-component jet.

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Relativistic fireballs: energy conversion and time-scales

P Meszaros, M. REES (1992)

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Shocked by GRB 970228: the afterglow of a cosmological fireball

, , (1997)

The location accuracy of the BeppoSAX Wide Field Cameras and acute ground-based followup have led to the detection of a decaying afterglow in X rays and optical light following the classical gamma-ray burst GRB 970228. The afterglow in X rays and optical light fades as a power law at all wavelengths. This behaviour was predicted for a relativistic blast wave that radiates its energy when it decelerates by ploughing into the surrounding medium. Because the afterglow has continued with unchanged behaviour for more than a month, its total energy must be of order 10**51 erg, placing it firmly at a redshift of order 1. Further tests of the model are discussed, some of which can be done with available data, and implications for future observing strategies are pointed out. We discuss how the afterglow can provide a probe for the nature of the burst sources.