2010/09/23 by Ehud Nakar, Nakar, Ehud
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1009.4648
proceedings of the The Shocking Universe meeting, Venice, September 2009
openalex publication_date 2010/09/23 · arxiv created 2010/09/25 · arxiv updated 2010/09/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Decades of improving data and extensive theoretical research have led to a popular model of gamma-ray bursts. According to this model, a catastrophic event in a stellar system results in the formation of a compact central engine, which releases a fraction of a solar rest-mass energy within seconds in the form of ultra-relativistic jets. Dissipation of the jets energy leads first to prompt gamma-ray emission and later to a long lasting afterglow. Here I summarize the introduction that I gave to the debate "where do we stand?" in the conference "The Shocking Universe" held in Venice. This is a very brief summary of my view of the facts that we are (almost) certain about, models that are popular but may need rethinking, and main open questions.