Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts
The electron energy distribution index, p, is a fundamental parameter of the process by which electrons at shock fronts are accelerated to relativistic speeds and by which they radiate, via synchrotron emission. This acceleration process is applicable to a myriad of astronomical jet sources such as...
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| Format: | Conference Paper |
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World Scientific Publishing Company
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33674 |
| _version_ | 1848754013016686592 |
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| author | Curran, Peter |
| author2 | J.M. Paredes |
| author_facet | J.M. Paredes Curran, Peter |
| author_sort | Curran, Peter |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The electron energy distribution index, p, is a fundamental parameter of the process by which electrons at shock fronts are accelerated to relativistic speeds and by which they radiate, via synchrotron emission. This acceleration process is applicable to a myriad of astronomical jet sources such as AGN, X-ray binaries and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), as well as to particle acceleration in the solar wind and supernovae, and the acceleration of cosmic rays. The accurate measurement of the distribution of p is of fundamental importance to differentiate between the possible theories of electron acceleration at any relativistic shock front; there is division as to whether p has a universal value or whether it has a distribution, and if so, what that distribution is.Here one such source of synchrotron emission is examined: the blast waves of GRB afterglows observed by the Swift satellite. Within the framework of the GRB blast wave model, the constraints placed on the distribution of p by the observed X-ray spectral and temporal indices are examined and the distribution parametrized. The results show that the observed distribution of spectral indices is inconsistent with an underlying distribution of p composed of a single discrete value but consistent with a Gaussian distribution centred at p = 2.4 and having a width of 0.6. This finding disagrees with theoretical work that argues for a single, universal value of p, but also demonstrates that the width of the distribution is not as wide as has been suggested by some authors. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:33:39Z |
| format | Conference Paper |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-33674 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:33:39Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | World Scientific Publishing Company |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-336742023-02-07T08:01:19Z Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts Curran, Peter J.M. Paredes M. Ribó F.A. Aharonian G.E. Romero Shock waves Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal Methods: statistical Gamma-ray burst: general Acceleration - of particles The electron energy distribution index, p, is a fundamental parameter of the process by which electrons at shock fronts are accelerated to relativistic speeds and by which they radiate, via synchrotron emission. This acceleration process is applicable to a myriad of astronomical jet sources such as AGN, X-ray binaries and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), as well as to particle acceleration in the solar wind and supernovae, and the acceleration of cosmic rays. The accurate measurement of the distribution of p is of fundamental importance to differentiate between the possible theories of electron acceleration at any relativistic shock front; there is division as to whether p has a universal value or whether it has a distribution, and if so, what that distribution is.Here one such source of synchrotron emission is examined: the blast waves of GRB afterglows observed by the Swift satellite. Within the framework of the GRB blast wave model, the constraints placed on the distribution of p by the observed X-ray spectral and temporal indices are examined and the distribution parametrized. The results show that the observed distribution of spectral indices is inconsistent with an underlying distribution of p composed of a single discrete value but consistent with a Gaussian distribution centred at p = 2.4 and having a width of 0.6. This finding disagrees with theoretical work that argues for a single, universal value of p, but also demonstrates that the width of the distribution is not as wide as has been suggested by some authors. 2012 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33674 10.1142/S2010194512004655 World Scientific Publishing Company fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Shock waves Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal Methods: statistical Gamma-ray burst: general Acceleration - of particles Curran, Peter Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title | Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title_full | Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title_fullStr | Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title_short | Observations of Particle Acceleration in the Blast Waves of Gamma-Ray Bursts |
| title_sort | observations of particle acceleration in the blast waves of gamma-ray bursts |
| topic | Shock waves Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal Methods: statistical Gamma-ray burst: general Acceleration - of particles |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/33674 |