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- Title
A novel explosive process is required for the γ-ray burst GRB 060614.
- Authors
Gal-Yam, A.; Fox, D. B.; Price, P. A.; Ofek, E. O.; Davis, M. R.; Leonard, D. C.; Soderberg, A. M.; Schmidt, B. P.; Lewis, K. M.; Peterson, B. A.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Berger, E.; Cenko, S. B.; Sari, R.; Sharon, K.; Frail, D.; Moon, D.-S.; Brown, P. J.; Cucchiara, A.; Harrison, F.
- Abstract
Over the past decade, our physical understanding of γ-ray bursts (GRBs) has progressed rapidly, thanks to the discovery and observation of their long-lived afterglow emission. Long-duration (≳2 s) GRBs are associated with the explosive deaths of massive stars (‘collapsars’, ref. 1), which produce accompanying supernovae; the short-duration (≲2 s) GRBs have a different origin, which has been argued to be the merger of two compact objects. Here we report optical observations of GRB 060614 (duration ∼100 s, ref. 10) that rule out the presence of an associated supernova. This would seem to require a new explosive process: either a massive collapsar that powers a GRB without any associated supernova, or a new type of ‘engine’, as long-lived as the collapsar but without a massive star. We also show that the properties of the host galaxy (redshift z = 0.125) distinguish it from other long-duration GRB hosts and suggest that an entirely new type of GRB progenitor may be required.
- Subjects
GAMMA ray bursts; AFTERGLOW (Physics); SUPERGIANT stars; GALAXIES; ASTRONOMICAL observations; SUPERNOVAE
- Publication
Nature, 2006, Vol 444, Issue 7122, p1053
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nature05373