Naked-eye optical flash from gamma-ray burst 080319B: Tracing the decaying neutrons in the outflow

Journal Article · Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.79.021301· OSTI ID:21259764

Yizhong, Fan; Bing, Zhang; Daming, Wei ^[1]

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1. Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark)

For an unsteady baryonic gamma-ray burst (GRB) outflow, the fast and slow proton shells collide with each other and produce energetic soft gamma-ray emission. If the outflow has a significant neutron component, the ultrarelativistic neutrons initially expand freely until decaying at a larger radius. The late-time proton shells ejected from the GRB central engine, after powering the regular internal shocks, will sweep these {beta}-decay products and give rise to very bright UV/optical emission. The naked-eye optical flash from GRB 080319B, an energetic explosion in the distant Universe, can be well explained in this way.

• OSTI ID: 21259764
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 79, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.79.021301; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BETA DECAY
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
EMISSION
GAMMA RADIATION
NEUTRONS
PARTICLE TRACKS
PROTONS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
UNIVERSE