A Burst of Gamma-Rays:
Research into the most powerful
explosions in the universe
A report by:
RAdm. RM & Comm. DL Wey
COSR: SFS-SFC DCOSR: SFS-SFC
Earth, as we know it, is continuously the target of forces from the depths of space; The threat, in the form of massive doses of gamma radiation [emitting more energy in one sixty second cycle, than the sun in its entire existence], comes like a thief in the night. Flashes of light that appear, as if from no where…only to then disappear without a trace.
Such is the mystery of the Gamma-Ray Burst, a phenomenon that [until recently] remained an enigma to the scientific world. One such object, given the nomenclature GRB 970228 [located a few arc minutes in the Orion constellation…between the stars Alpha Centauri, and Gamma Orionis] is believes to actually exist in a galaxy in the outer reaches of the observable universe.
Until recently, many theories existed in an attempt to explain the existence of such phenomenon, from black holes to dark star remnants known as neutron stars. However, there is no one knowing for certain whether these burst come from a mere hundred light years away…or several billion.
One problem with such attempts at observation is that, the earth lies in the suburbs of the milky way, more than thirty thousand light years from the core; It was theorized, at one time, that gamma-ray bursts occur in an extended spherical halo which surrounds our galaxy
. However, it is now accepted that such burst must occur at distances of three to ten billion light years.Controversy comes from the variety of gamma-ray bursts [which vary in duration from around thirty milliseconds to nearly a thousand seconds…and an observed oddity of one hour thirty six minutes], and thus the quandary.
If such originate at the distances theorized, they would require energies in excess of 1051 ergs, a variable fireball indeed. To account for this, it has been theorized that such could occur if a binary neutron star system were to collapse.
Theoretical models estimate such an event occurs every ten thousand to one million years per galaxy. With more than ten billion galaxies in the region of space observed, such would yield a figure of one thousand such bursts a year…such a number fits the observations.
Other possibilities include neutron stars, a star colliding with a black hole, yet all consider the output of such a collision to be approximately 1053 ergs. Such energies emerge in the form of neutrinos and antineutrinos, as the gases of the fireball expand, they collide with cooler interstellar gases, creating a shock wave. Electrons accelerated by the intense electromagnetic fields in this wave are what emit the gamma-ray bursts observed.
Of course, this is where the differences begin; For other theories of how such gamma-rays could be emitted exist, such as fireballs consisting entirely of heavy metals. Or powerful magnetic dynamos such as those which inhabit the cores of galaxies.
To that end, there have been numerous instruments constructed to try and determine the origins of these mysterious entities, including satellites, ground based[and space based]gamma-ray detectors, as well as the Very Large Array of radio telescopes.
It is hoped, that with such a concerted effort, we will finally learn the secret to how such entities are created, and the effects they may have on the cosmos.
