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Gamma Ray Bursts
What is the source of this rapidly moving matter? Theories include the merging of
neutron stars, or
black holes, or the
collapse of an extremely massive star to produce what has been called a
hypernova.
Artist's concept of
a gamma-ray burst
(Credit: STScI)
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In one variation of this model, the collapsed core forms a spinning black hole.
As surrounding material falls toward this black hole, intense beams of high
energy particles and neutrinos eject matter at nearly the speed of light. It is
this matter that produces the gamma ray fireball.
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