On the prompt signals of gamma ray bursts
Journal
EAS Publications Series
Journal Volume
61
Pages
95-102
Date Issued
2013
Author(s)
Abstract
We introduce a new model of gamma ray burst (GRB) that explains its observed prompt signals, namely, its primary quasi-thermal spectrum and high energy tail. This mechanism can be applied to either assumption of GRB progenitor: coalescence of compact objects or hypernova explosion. The key ingredients of our model are: (1) The initial stage of a GRB is in the form of a relativistic quark-gluon plasma lava; (2) The expansion and cooling of this lava results in a QCD phase transition that induces a sudden gravitational stoppage of the condensed non-relativistic baryons and form a hadrosphere; (3) Acoustic shocks and Alfven waves (magnetoquakes) that erupt in episodes from the epicenter efficiently transport the thermal energy to the hadrospheric surface and induce a rapid detachment of leptons and photons from the hadrons; (4) The detached e+e- and γ form an opaque, relativistically hot leptosphere, which expands and cools to T ∼ mc2, or 0.5 MeV, where e+e- → 2γ and its reverse process becomes unbalanced, and the GRB photons are finally released; (5) The mode-conversion of Alfven waves into electromagnetic waves in the leptosphere provides a snowplow acceleration and deceleration that gives rise to both the high energy spectrum of GRB and the erosion of its thermal spectrum down to a quasi-thermal distribution. According to this model, the observed GRB photons should have a redshifted peak frequency at Ep ∼ Γ(1 + β/2)mc2/(1 + z), where Γ ∼ O(1) \hbox{$\Gamma\ sim {\cal{O}}(1)$} Γ is the Lorentz factor of the bulk flow of the lava, which may be determined from the existing GRB data. © EAS, EDP Sciences 2013.
Type
conference paper