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Gamma Ray Burst Discoveries with the Swift MissionGamma-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.
Document ID
20090027716
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gehrels, Neil
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 8, 2009
Subject Category
Astronomy
Meeting Information
Meeting: Nonlinear Processes in Astrophysical Plasma
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: September 28, 2009
End Date: October 2, 2009
Sponsors: Department of Energy, American Astronomical Society, National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, NASA Headquarters, California Univ.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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