Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are powerful cosmic explosions, signaling the death of massive stars. Among them, GRB 221009A is by far the brightest burst ever observed. Because of its enormous energy (Eiso ≈ 1055 erg) and proximity (z ≈ 0.15), GRB 221009A is an exceptionally rare event that pushes the limits of our theories. We present multiwavelength observations covering the first 3 months of its afterglow evolution. The x-ray brightness decays as a power law with slope ≈t−1.66, which is not consistent with standard predictions for jetted emission. We attribute this behavior to a shallow energy profile of the relativistic jet. A similar trend is observed in other energetic GRBs, suggesting that the most extreme explosions may be powered by structured jets launched by a common central engine.

O'Connor, B., Troja, E., Ryan, G., Beniamini, P., van Eerten, H., Granot, J., et al. (2023). A structured jet explains the extreme GRB 221009A. SCIENCE ADVANCES, 9(23) [10.1126/sciadv.adi1405].

A structured jet explains the extreme GRB 221009A

Troja E.
;
Gillanders J. H.;Yang Y.;
2023-01-01

Abstract

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are powerful cosmic explosions, signaling the death of massive stars. Among them, GRB 221009A is by far the brightest burst ever observed. Because of its enormous energy (Eiso ≈ 1055 erg) and proximity (z ≈ 0.15), GRB 221009A is an exceptionally rare event that pushes the limits of our theories. We present multiwavelength observations covering the first 3 months of its afterglow evolution. The x-ray brightness decays as a power law with slope ≈t−1.66, which is not consistent with standard predictions for jetted emission. We attribute this behavior to a shallow energy profile of the relativistic jet. A similar trend is observed in other energetic GRBs, suggesting that the most extreme explosions may be powered by structured jets launched by a common central engine.
2023
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Settore FIS/05
English
Con Impact Factor ISI
O'Connor, B., Troja, E., Ryan, G., Beniamini, P., van Eerten, H., Granot, J., et al. (2023). A structured jet explains the extreme GRB 221009A. SCIENCE ADVANCES, 9(23) [10.1126/sciadv.adi1405].
O'Connor, B; Troja, E; Ryan, G; Beniamini, P; van Eerten, H; Granot, J; Dichiara, S; Ricci, R; Lipunov, V; Gillanders, Jh; Gill, R; Moss, M; Anand, S;...espandi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/348226
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