Tag

Gamma Ray Bursts

All articles tagged with #gamma ray bursts

science3 days ago•11 min saved

Radio Echo Unveils Hidden Gamma-Ray Burst in Distant Galaxy

Astronomers using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) detected the long‑lived radio afterglow of a powerful gamma‑ray burst that emitted little or no high‑energy light, revealing an orphan afterglow (ASKAP J005512-255834). The radio source brightened to about 10^32 watts of energy and faded over about 1,000 days, and lies in a distant, star‑forming galaxy ~1.7 billion light‑years away. This finding provides a clearer example of hidden GRB events and could help map the full gamma‑ray burst population, though an alternative explanation — a star torn apart by an intermediate‑mass black hole — remains possible.

via The Conversation|

#askap #black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts

space-and-spaceflight14 days ago•15 min saved

NASA Puts Swift Observatory on Pause to Prevent Reentry, Seeks Rescue Mission

NASA has paused most Swift Observatory science operations to reduce atmospheric drag and slow its orbital decay, as the 21-year-old gamma-ray telescope faces a rising risk of uncontrolled reentry by mid-2026. To extend its life, NASA awarded a $30 million contract to Katalyst Space Technologies for a rescue mission to rendezvous with Swift and boost its orbit, with a launch aimed for June to keep the spacecraft above about 185 miles in altitude. The Burst Alert Telescope will still detect gamma-ray bursts, while other telescopes remain on hold to minimize drag.

via Gizmodo|

#atmospheric-drag #gamma-ray-bursts #orbital-decay

space20 days ago•3 min saved

Seven-Hour Gamma-Ray Burst Suggests a New Stellar Merger Engine

Astronomers using the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected GRB 250702B, a gamma-ray burst lasting about seven hours—the longest on record—challenging standard GRB models. A helium-merger scenario, where a black hole accretes a helium star and transfers angular momentum to power an unusually long jet, offers a natural explanation. Future work with the COSI gamma-ray telescope, set to launch in 2027, aims to find more long-duration GRBs to unravel the underlying physics.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|

#black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts #grb-250702b

science24 days ago•82 min saved

NASA supercomputer reveals magnetic chaos before neutron-star merger

A NASA Goddard-led study used the NASA Pleiades supercomputer to simulate the final orbits of a binary neutron-star system, showing magnetospheres continually reconnecting as the stars spiral in. The simulations indicate high-energy gamma-ray emission is largely trapped by electron-positron pair production, while lower-energy gamma-rays and X-rays may escape depending on the observer's viewpoint. The work helps predict pre-merger signals for future gamma-ray telescopes and gravitational-wave detectors like LISA.

via Space|

#gamma-ray-bursts #gravitational-waves #kilonova

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Scientists Unveil Explanation for 'Impossible' Black Hole Mergers

In 2023, astronomers observed a black hole merger that defied existing physics, involving black holes within a forbidden mass range and spinning at near light speed. New simulations incorporating magnetic fields reveal that these fields can eject mass during a star's collapse, producing lighter, fast-spinning black holes and potentially observable gamma-ray bursts, offering insights into these 'impossible' black holes.

via Universe Today|

#black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts #gravitational-waves

science-and-technology4 months ago•3 min saved

Australian nanosatellite captures first space selfie before studying gamma-ray bursts

Australia's SpIRIT nanosatellite has successfully completed its commissioning phase, taking its first space selfie and preparing to detect cosmic gamma-ray bursts, marking a significant milestone for Australian space technology and international scientific collaboration.

via Space|

#australian-nanosatellite #gamma-ray-bursts #science-and-technology

science5 months ago•6 min saved

Astronomers Discover Rare, Mysterious Repeating Gamma-Ray Bursts Beyond the Milky Way

Astronomers have observed a rare series of repeating gamma-ray bursts, lasting much longer than typical bursts and originating outside our galaxy, which could reveal new insights into the death of stars and extreme cosmic events. The cause remains uncertain, with theories including unusual supernovae or star-black hole interactions, and ongoing observations aim to uncover more about these extraordinary phenomena.

via CNN|

#astronomy #cosmic-phenomena #gamma-ray-bursts

science5 months ago•3 min saved

Record-Breaking and Unprecedented Gamma-Ray Bursts Challenge Existing Theories

Astronomers have discovered a record-breaking, unusually long gamma-ray burst, GRB 250702B, which lasted about a day and originated from a galaxy billions of light-years away. Its peculiar duration and repeated signals challenge existing theories about such cosmic explosions, suggesting a possible involvement of an intermediate black hole and a white dwarf, but the exact cause remains unknown.

via Gizmodo|

#astrophysics #black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Record Gamma-Ray Burst Sheds Light on Cosmic Jet Structures

Astronomers have studied the most powerful gamma-ray burst ever detected, called BOAT, which originated from a supernova in a star 2.4 million light-years away, providing new insights into the structure of jets in such explosions and demonstrating the capabilities of advanced telescopes like LST-1.

via Space|

#boat #cosmic-explosion #gamma-ray-bursts

science9 months ago•2 min saved

Scientists Observe Lightning Collisions Triggering Gamma-Ray Bursts on Earth

Researchers in Japan captured a rare event where lightning produced gamma-ray bursts, revealing that high-energy electromagnetic phenomena can occur in Earth's atmosphere, with potential implications for understanding storm dynamics and nuclear-like reactions in thunderstorms.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#atmospheric-physics #gamma-ray-bursts #lightning

science1 year ago•5 min saved

Black Holes Retain Magnetic Fields from Stellar Origins

Scientists at the Flatiron Institute have discovered that black holes inherit their magnetic fields from their parent stars, specifically from the collapsing proto-neutron stars. This finding, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, resolves a long-standing mystery about the origin of black hole magnetism, which is crucial for the formation of powerful jets and gamma ray bursts. The study suggests that the accretion disk of a neutron star can preserve its magnetic field, allowing the newly formed black hole to inherit it, thus enabling jet formation.

via Phys.org|

#astrophysics #black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts

science1 year ago•6 min saved

The Potential Threat of a Supernova to Earth

A supernova, like the anticipated explosion of Betelgeuse, would be a spectacular sight but not a threat to Earth due to its distance of 650 light-years. For a supernova to cause significant harm, it would need to be within 25-30 light-years, which could strip Earth's ozone layer and lead to mass extinction. Fortunately, no such stars are currently close enough to pose a danger. However, the potential for future threats exists as our solar system moves through the Milky Way's Orion arm, increasing the likelihood of encountering a lethal supernova over millions of years.

via Space.com|

#betelgeuse #cosmic-rays #earth

science1 year ago•6 min saved

New Evidence Suggests Hawking Radiation May Soon Be Detectable

Scientists may be close to proving Stephen Hawking's theory that black holes emit thermal radiation, known as Hawking radiation. Researchers propose that tiny black holes, formed during the collision of larger black holes, could evaporate and explode in a detectable manner, providing evidence for Hawking's hypothesis. These "morsel" black holes, or "Bocconcini di Buchi Neri," could emit high-energy gamma-ray bursts, offering a unique signature for their existence. The team plans further research to confirm these findings and validate Hawking radiation.

via Space.com|

#astrophysics #black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts

science1 year ago•8 min saved

"Black Hole 'Morsels' May Validate Hawking's Theory"

Scientists may be close to proving Stephen Hawking's theory that black holes emit thermal radiation, known as Hawking radiation. Researchers propose that tiny black holes, formed during the merger of larger black holes, could evaporate and explode in a detectable manner, providing evidence for Hawking's hypothesis. These "morsel" black holes, or "Bocconcini di Buchi Neri," could emit high-energy gamma-ray bursts, offering a unique signature to confirm their existence and validate Hawking radiation.

via Yahoo! Voices|

#astrophysics #black-holes #gamma-ray-bursts

science1 year ago•4 min saved

"Unveiling the Mystery Source of Life's Essential Elements"

While gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are known to be the universe's most powerful explosions and potential sources of heavy elements, recent studies, including observations of the brightest GRB ever recorded (GRB 221009), suggest they may not be the primary source of these elements. The findings indicate that another, yet unidentified, source must be responsible for the abundance of heavy elements in the universe.

via Phys.org|

#gamma-ray-bursts #heavy-elements #neutron-stars