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Gamma Ray Bursts
Beppo-Sax Satellite
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In 1997, astronomers were able to use the Beppo-Sax satellite to refine the
location of several GRBs by observing their X-ray afterglow. Then the Hubble Space Telescope and other optical telescopes were
used to study the optical afterglow of the GRBs and were able to precisely locate
them in galaxies billions of light years from Earth. At such great distances, a
GRB must produce enormous amounts of energy. While at their peak, which lasts
only a few seconds, they have a power output that is comparable to that of all
the galaxies in the universe!
The source of this tremendous energy is unknown. Astronomers have developed a
model – the fireball model – that explains the time variation of the
bursts, and the shift of the peak radiation to progressively lower energies
reasonably well. The model involves matter moving at near the speed of light that
collides with other material in the vicinity.
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