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Gamma-Ray Bursts: A Physical Perspective

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Cosmic Gamma Rays, Neutrinos, and Related Astrophysics

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 270))

Abstract

Observations of the spectra and angular distribution of gamma-ray bursts suggest that these events originate from near the surface of strongly magnetized, Galactic neutron stars. We first argue that the bursts are powered by the rotational or internal energy of neutron stars, rather than by accretion or thermonuclear energy, and then examine some physical issues related to powering gamma-ray bursts by neutron star glitches. These issues include how energy is accumulated or released by the differentially rotating neutron superfluid in a neutron star, the timescale for a glitch to occur, and mechanisms by which energy is transferred from excitations inside the star to high-energy particles above the stellar surface. We describe how relativistic electrons produce a photon-starved spectrum in the x-ray range, as observed in gamma-ray bursts, by Compton scattering the thermal radiation from the surface of a warm neutron star.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Astronomy and Astrophysics ESS-9, MS D436, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Richard I. Epstein

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  1. Richard I. Epstein
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

    Maurice M. Shapiro

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA

    John P. Wefel

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© 1989 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Epstein, R.I. (1989). Gamma-Ray Bursts: A Physical Perspective. In: Shapiro, M.M., Wefel, J.P. (eds) Cosmic Gamma Rays, Neutrinos, and Related Astrophysics. NATO ASI Series, vol 270. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0921-2_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0921-2_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6903-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0921-2

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