Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe expected photospheric emission of GRBs in the internal shock model
56
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts (hereafter GRBs) probably comes from a highly relativistic wind which converts its kinetic energy into radiation via the formation of shocks within the wind itself. Such internal shocks can occur if the wind is generated with a highly non uniform distribution of the Lorentz factor Gamma. Taking into account such a variable distribution of Gamma, we estimate the expected thermal emission of the relativistic wind when it becomes transparent. We compare this emission (temporal profile + spectrum) to the emission produced by the internal shocks. In most cases we predict a rather bright thermal emission that could easily be detected. This favors acceleration mechanisms for the wind where the main energy reservoir is under magnetic rather than thermal form. Such scenarios can produce thermal X-ray precursors comparable to those observed by GINGA and WATCH/GRANAT.
rate research
Read More
The prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts probably comes from a highly relativistic wind which converts part of its kinetic energy into radiation via the formation of shocks within the wind itself. Such internal shocks can occur if the wind is generated with a highly non uniform distribution of the Lorentz factor. We estimate the expected photospheric emission of such a wind when it becomes transparent. We compare this thermal emission (temporal profile + spectrum) to the non-thermal emission produced by the internal shocks. In most cases, we predict a rather bright thermal emission that should already have been detected. This favors acceleration mechanisms for the wind where the initial energy input is under magnetic rather than thermal form. Such scenarios can produce thermal X-ray precursors comparable to those observed by GINGA and WATCH/GRANAT.
In order to better understand the physical origin of short duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), we perform time-resolved spectral analysis on a sample of 70 pulses in 68 short GRBs with burst duration $T_{90}lesssim2$ s detected by the textit{Fermi}/GBM. We apply a Bayesian analysis to all spectra that have statistical significance $Sge15$ within each pulse and apply a cut-off power law (CPL) model. We then select in each pulse the timebin that has the maximal value of the low energy spectral index, %$alpha_{rm max}$, for further analysis. Under the assumption that the main emission mechanism is the same throughout each pulse, such an analysis is indicative of pulse emission. We find that $sim$1/3 of short GRBs are consistent with a pure, non-dissipative photospheric model, at least, around the peak of the pulse. This fraction is larger compare to the corresponding one (1/4) obtained for long GRBs. For these bursts, we find (i) a bi-modal distribution in the values of the Lorentz factors and the hardness ratios; (ii) an anti-correlation between $T_{90}$ and the peak energy, $E_{rm pk}$: $T_{90} propto E_{rm pk}^{-0.50pm0.19}$. This correlation disappears when we consider the entire sample. Our results thus imply that the short GRB population may in fact be composed of two separate populations: one being a continuation of the long GRB population to shorter durations, and the other one being distinctly separate with different physical properties. Furthermore, thermal emission is initially ubiquitous, but is accompanied at longer times by additional radiation (likely synchrotron).
The prompt GRB emission is thought to arise from electrons accelerated in internal shocks propagating within a highly relativistic outflow. The launch of Fermi offers the prospect of observations with unprecedented sensitivity in high-energy (>100 MeV) gamma-rays. The aim is to explore the predictions for HE emission from internal shocks, taking into account both dynamical and radiative aspects, and to deduce how HE observations constrain the properties of the relativistic outflow. The emission is modeled by combining a time-dependent radiative code with a dynamical code giving the evolution of the physical conditions in the shocked regions.Synthetic lightcurves and spectra are compared to observations. The HE emission deviates significantly from analytical estimates, which tend to overpredict the IC component, when the time dependence and full cross-sections are included. The exploration of the parameter space favors the case where the dominant process in the BATSE range is synchrotron emission. The HE component becomes stronger for weaker magnetic fields. The HE lightcurve can display a prolonged pulse duration due to IC emission, or even a delayed peak compared to the BATSE range.Alternatively, having dominant IC emission in the BATSE range requires most electrons to be accelerated into a steep power-law distribution and implies strong 2nd order IC scattering. In this case, the BATSE and HE lightcurves are very similar. The combined dynamical and radiative approach allows a firm appraisal of GRB HE prompt emission. A diagnostic procedure is presented to identify from observations the dominant emission process and derive constrains on the bulk Lorentz factor, particle density and magnetic field of the outflow.
We compute the expected luminosity function of GRBs in the context of the internal shock model. We assume that GRB central engines generate relativistic outflows characterized by the respective distributions of injected kinetic power Edot and contrast in Lorentz factor Kappa = Gamma_max/Gamma_min. We find that if the distribution of contrast extends down to values close to unity (i.e. if both highly variable and smooth outflows can exist) the luminosity function has two branches. At high luminosity it follows the distribution of Edot while at low luminosity it is close to a power law of slope -0.5. We then examine if existing data can constrain the luminosity function. Using the log N - log P curve, the Ep distribution of bright BATSE bursts and the XRF/GRB ratio obtained by HETE2 we show that single and broken power-laws can provide equally good fits of these data. Present observations are therefore unable to favor one form of the other. However when a broken power-law is adopted they clearly indicate a low luminosity slope ~ -0.6 +- 0.2, compatible with the prediction of the internal shock model.
As the standard gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt-emission model, the internal shock (IS) model can reproduce the fast-rise and slow-decay features of the pulses in the GRB light curve. The time- and energy-dependent polarization can deliver important physical information on the emission region and can be used to test models. Polarization predictions for the GRB prompt phase with the magnetized IS model should be investigated carefully. The magnetic field of the magnetized IS model is very likely to be mixed and decays with radius. The synchrotron emission in the presence of such a decaying magnetic field can recover the Band-like spectrum of the GRB prompt phase. We investigate the dependence of the polarization of GRB prompt emission on both time and energy in the framework of the magnetized IS model. Due to the large range of parameters, it is hard to distinguish the magnetized IS model and the magnetic-reconnection model through polarization degree (PD) curves. The energy-dependent PD could increase toward the high-energy band for the magnetized IS model, while it decreases to zero above the megaelectronvolt band for the dissipative photosphere model. Therefore, we conclude that the energy dependence of PD can be used to distinguish these two models for the GRB prompt emission. Finally, we find that, independent of the observational energy band, the profiles of the $xi_B-PD$ curve for the time-integrated and time-resolved PDs are very similar, where $xi_B$ is the magnetic field strength ratio of the ordered component to the random component.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
