Conveners
Polarization and gamma-ray bursts
- Bernardini Maria Grazia (INAF / Brera Astronomical Observatory)
Polarization and gamma-ray bursts
- Bernardini Maria Grazia (INAF / Brera Astronomical Observatory)
One of the main targets of astrophysical X- and gamma-ray polarimetry has been the prompt emission of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). This polarization is theorized to hold a wealth of information on the nature of these extreme events prompting a range of attempts at measuring it over the last 20 years. Initial attempts to measure it using non-dedicated instruments, such as BATSE, RHESSI and INTEGRAL...
This talk will review the important and unique role of polarization in the study of GRBs. The afterglow polarization provides unique and valuable information on the GRB jet's angular structure as well as the magnetic field structure produced in relativistic collisionless shocks. It may also probe dense clumps or a weak large-scale magnetic field in the circum-burst medium. The magnetic field...
Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful explosions in the Universe. After the collapse of a massive star or the merger of a compact object binary, material is accelerated to relativistic speeds along the narrow beam of a jet. As this jet continues to travel outwards, it collides with the external material surrounding the dying star, producing a long-lasting afterglow that can be seen...
As the most energetic explosions in the Universe, relativistic astrophysical transients such as Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) provide a unique opportunity to explore physics at extreme energy scales that are otherwise impossible to investigate in Earth-bound laboratories. I will demonstrate the power of radio polarimetric observations, combined with theoretical modeling, in teasing apart the physics...
In the context of modern astrophysics, transient phenomena are among the most fascinating and challenging to observe and analyse, usually arising from physically extreme conditions. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most energetic phenomena in the whole Universe, fall into this category, being produced after the collapse of a massive star or a compact binary merger. Their main emission, lasting...
A major question surrounding the study of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) is the origin of the high energy prompt emission detected in the first few tens of seconds of the event. This question can be answered with time-resolved and time-integrated polarimetry observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. Recently, we used the MCRaT radiative transfer code to make robust optical to gamma-ray...
Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are among the most powerful and violent events in the Universe. Despite half a century of observations of these transient sources, many open questions remain about their nature and the physical emission mechanisms at play. Polarization measurements of the GRB prompt emission have long been theorized to be able to answer most of these questions.
With the aim of...
