Corequake and shock heating model of the 5 March 1979 gamma-ray burstRamaty et al. (1980) have proposed a model of a neutron-star corequake and subsequent shock heating of the atmosphere to account for the gamma-ray burst of March 5, 1979. This model is elaborated by examining the overall energetics and characteristics of the radiation-dominated gas shocks under the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium, taking into account the electron-positron pair production behind the shock. Using values for the density typical of those expected for neutron-star crusts (100-10,000 g/cu cm) and shock velocities characteristic of the sound speed (40,000-100,000), shock luminosities are obtained comparable to those required if the burst originated in the LMC. In addition, the fraction of energy deposited in electron-positron pairs is in good agreement with observation. Uneven shock heating between the polar and equatorial regions of the neutron star due to the presence of a dipole magnetic field, coupled with a rotation rate of 8 s, can also naturally account for the pulsating phase of the burst.
Document ID
19850040663
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ellison, D. C. (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Essonne, France)
Kazanas, D. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, Greenbelt, MD, United States)