Frontiers in the study Gamma-ray bursts

Seminar
QUEST Center event
No
Speaker
Asaf Pe'er, Physics Department, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland
Date
11/12/2017 - 12:30Add to Calendar 2017-12-11 12:30:00 2017-12-11 12:30:00 Frontiers in the study Gamma-ray bursts Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) are the most violent explosions in the universe. While being studied extensively since the 1990's, a major event took place a few weeks ago, with the first confirmed detection of a GRB associated with the gravitational wave (GW) signal that results from the merger of binary neutron star (NS) system, namely GW/GRB170817a.   In the first part of the talk I will give broad overview of our current understanding of GRB physics, followed by a description of the GW/GRB170817a event and its implications.   In the second part of the talk (as time permits), I will discuss the recent development in undertsanding the origin of the prompt spectra, and in particular the role of thermal emission in it.  I will discuss some novel effects and theoretical ideas relevant for the study of many astronomical objects. As a few examples, I will show how emission from the photosphere can be observed to have high degree of polarization; how it can be used to infer the jet magnetization; and more. בנין פיסיקה 202 חדר 301 Department of Physics physics.dept@mail.biu.ac.il Asia/Jerusalem public
Place
בנין פיסיקה 202 חדר 301
Abstract
Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) are the most violent explosions in the
universe. While being studied extensively since the 1990's, a major
event took place a few weeks ago, with the first confirmed detection
of a GRB associated with the gravitational wave (GW) signal that
results from the merger of binary neutron star (NS) system, namely
GW/GRB170817a.
 
In the first part of the talk I will give broad overview of our
current understanding of GRB physics, followed by a description of the
GW/GRB170817a event and its implications.
 
In the second part of the talk (as time permits), I will discuss the
recent development in undertsanding the origin of the prompt spectra,
and in particular the role of thermal emission in it.  I will discuss
some novel effects and theoretical ideas relevant for the study of
many astronomical objects. As a few examples, I will show how emission
from the photosphere can be observed to have high degree of
polarization; how it can be used to infer the jet magnetization; and
more.

Last Updated Date : 27/11/2017