X-Ray Spectroscopy of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Abstract
Observational evidence of iron absorption and emission lines in X-ray spectra of Gamma-Ray Bursts is quite compelling. I will briefly review the results, summarize different models and describe the connection with massive progenitors in star-forming regions implied by these results. This link is also supported by measurements of the X-ray absorbing gas in several GRB's, with column density consistent with that of Giant Molecular Clouds harbouring star-formation in our Galaxy, as well as by evidences gathered in other wavelengths. However, the volume density inferred by the fireball-jet model is much lower than typical of a GMC, and I will confront this with the alternative explanation of fireball expansion in a high dense medium, outlining the problems that both models have at present. Finally I will briefly summarize some results on dark GRB's, and describe the prospects of high resolution X-ray spectroscopy in getting closer to the central environment of GRB, and far in the Early Universe by using GRB as beacons to probe star and galaxy formation.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0203275,
title = {X-Ray Spectroscopy of Gamma-Ray Bursts},
author = {Luigi Piro},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0203275},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
7 pages, 2 fig.s, invited talk at "GRB and Afterglow Astronomy 2001: a workshop celebrating the first year of the HETE mission", Woods Hole, 5-9 Nov.2001