The Prompt Ultraviolet/Soft X-Ray Emission of GRBs

  • Zhuo Li
  • Li-Ming Song
Chapter
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Abstract

We discuss the prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), allowing for γγ pair production and synchrotron self-absorption. The observed hard spectra suggest heavy pair-loading in GRBs. The re-emission of the generated pairs results in the energy transmission from high-energy gamma-rays to long-wavelength radiation. Due to strong self-absorption, the synchrotron radiation by pairs is in optically thick regime. Thus, the re-emission would appear as a thermal-like spectral bump in the extreme-ultraviolet/soft X-ray band, other than the peak from the main burst. The confirmation of the thermal-like feature and the double-peak structure by future satellites, such as Swift, would indicate that the dominant radiation mechanism in GRBs is synchrotron rather than inverse-Compton radiation.

Keywords

gamma-rays: bursts radiation mechanisms: nonthermal relativity 
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Copyright information

© Springer 2005

Authors and Affiliations

  • Zhuo Li
    • 1
  • Li-Ming Song
    • 1
  1. 1.Particle Astrophysics Center, Institute of High Energy PhysicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina

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