Related papers: Precursors and electron-positron pair loading from…
Recent observations suggest that the long-duration gamma ray bursts (GRBs) and their afterglows are produced by highly relativistic jets emitted in supernova explosions. We propose that the result of the event is not just a compact object…
Gamma-ray bursts and their afterglows are thought to be produced by an ultrarelativistic jet. One of the most important open questions is the outflow composition: the energy may be carried out from the central source either as kinetic…
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…
We calculate the creation of electron--positron pairs in Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) resulting from the collision between scattered and outward moving gamma-ray photons. The number of pairs exceeds the number of ambient medium electrons…
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are emitted by relativistic ejecta from powerful cosmic explosions. Their light curves suggest that the gamma-ray emission occurs at early stages of the ejecta expansion, well before it decelerates in the ambient…
Recent radio observations support a picture for star formation where there is accretion of matter onto a central protostar with the ejection of molecular outflows that can affect the surrounding medium. The impact of a supersonic outflow on…
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are believed to originate from ultra-relativistic winds/fireballs to avoid the "compactness problem". However, the most energetic photons in GRBs may still suffer from $\gamma-\gamma$ absorption leading to…
Gamma-ray bursts and their afterglows are thought to be produced by an ultra-relativistic jet. One of the most important open questions is the outflow composition: the energy may be carried out from the central source either as kinetic…
(Abridged) We interpret gamma ray bursts as relativistic, electromagnetic explosions. Specifically, we propose that they are created when a rotating, relativistic, stellar-mass progenitor loses much of its rotational energy in the form of a…
We present an internal shock model with external characteristics for explaining the complicated light curves of gamma-ray bursts. Shocks produce gamma-rays in the interaction between a precessing beam of relativistic particles and the…
In the standard fireball model of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the fireball starts with an optically thick phase. As it expands, the fireball becomes optically thin at some stage. The thermal radiation trapped in the originally opaque fireball…
We performed a series of hydrodynamical calculations of an ultra-relativistic jet propagating through a massive star and the circumstellar matter to investigate the interaction between the ejecta and the circumstellar matter. We succeed in…
The afterglow emission has become the main stream of Gamma-Ray burst research since its discovery three years ago. With the distance-scale enigma solved, the study of the late-time GRB emission is now the most promising approach to disclose…
The internal/external synchrotron shock scenario has proved very successful in interpreting the key observations about gamma ray bursts. There still remains, however, some big uncertainties. The hottest issue concerns the nature of the…
The association of a supernova with a gamma-ray burst (GRB 030329) implies a massive star progenitor, which is expected to have an environment formed by pre-burst stellar winds. Although some sources are consistent with the expected wind…
We provide a comprehensive review of major developments in our understanding of gamma-ray bursts, with particular focus on the discoveries made within the last fifteen years when their true nature was uncovered. We describe the…
Most recent extragalactic models of gamma-ray bursts consider the expansion of a relativistic blast wave, emanating from a solar-mass type progenitor, into the surrounding interstellar medium as the site for their activity. The popular…
Millisecond pulsars with strong magnetic fields may be formed through several processes, e.g. accretion-induced collapse of magnetized white dwarfs, merger of two neutron stars. During the birth of such a pulsar, an initial fireball…
The high energy neutrino signature from proton-proton and photo-meson interactions in a supernova remnant shell ejected prior to a gamma-ray burst provides a test for the precursor supernova, or supranova, model of gamma-ray bursts. Protons…
Massive protostars have associated bipolar outflows with velocities of hundreds of km s$^{-1}$. Such outflows can produce strong shocks when interact with the ambient medium leading to regions of non-thermal radio emission. We aim at…