PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Monster gamma-ray burst in our cosmic neighborhood

2013-11-22
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Gertie Skaarup
skaarup@nbi.dk
45-35-32-53-20
University of Copenhagen - Niels Bohr Institute
Monster gamma-ray burst in our cosmic neighborhood

Gamma-ray bursts are violent bursts of gamma radiation associated with exploding massive stars. For the first time ever, researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute, among others, have observed an unusually powerful gamma-ray burst in the relatively nearby universe – a monster gamma-ray burst. The results are published in the scientific journal, Science.

When astronomers observe gamma-ray bursts, they never see the original star itself. It is far too dim to be seen from their distance in the universe. But when the star dies, they can see the exploding star as a supernova.

When the star explodes as a supernova, there might be a violent burst of gamma radiation. The burst is very short and is called a gamma-ray burst. Gamma-ray bursts are extremely bright and can be seen across the entire universe, but they cannot be seen from telescopes from Earth, because the Earth's atmosphere absorbs the gamma radiation. So in order to see gamma-ray bursts, astronomers use telescopes in space.

The Swift satellite, which was launched in 2004, monitors space and discovers about 100 gamma-ray bursts each year. Gamma-ray bursts are thus quite common occurrences, but in April they spotted something quite unusual.

"We suddenly saw a gamma-ray burst that was extremely bright – a monster gamma-ray burst. This one of the most powerful gamma-ray bursts we have ever observed with the Swift satellite," explains astrophysicist Daniele Malesani, Dark Cosmology Centre at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.

He is affiliated with the research group at NASA's Swift satellite and he explains that as soon as the gamma-ray burst is spotted, the satellite redirects instruments to measure X-rays, ultraviolet radiation and optical light in the visible field. It all happens very quickly, because the gamma-ray burst is over in under a minute. Then they also observe the event from telescopes on Earth.

Afterglow reveals star type

"We follow the so-called afterglow, which usually lasts a few days or for several weeks, from both Swift and from the ground-based telescopes. In this case, the burst was so powerful that we could observe the afterglow for several months. By analysing the light from the afterglow, we can study its spectral composition, which can tell us about the properties of the original star. What we have discovered is that it is a giant star with a mass that is 20-30 times the mass of the Sun, and rapidly rotatng. But its size is only 3-4 times that of the Sun, so it is extremely compact. These kinds of stars are called Wolf-Rayet stars," explains Daniele Malesani.

They have also been able to localise the star in a galaxy in the relatively near universe. The gamma-ray burst exploded when the universe was 9.9 billion years old and it has taken the light 3.75 billion years to reach us on Earth in our galaxy, the Milky Way.



INFORMATION:

For more information contact:

Daniele Malesani, postdoc, Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, +45 3532-5981, +45 2875-5981, malesani@dark-cosmology.dk

http://www.nbi.ku.dk/english/

Cosmic Explosions: http://www.nbi.ku.dk/english/sciencexplorer/the_space/cosmic_explosions/video/



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

'The era of neutrino astronomy has begun'

2013-11-22
'The era of neutrino astronomy has begun' In a first, IceCube observatory at the South Pole tracks cosmic neutrinos COLLEGE PARK, MD – Astrophysicists using a telescope embedded in Antarctic ice have succeeded in a quest to detect and record the mysterious phenomena known ...

Study of fluke parasites identifies drug resistance mutations; raises hope for new therapies

2013-11-22
Study of fluke parasites identifies drug resistance mutations; raises hope for new therapies An international group of scientists led by Tim Anderson Ph.D., at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and Philip LoVerde Ph.D., at the University of Texas ...

IceCube detects first high-energy neutrinos from the cosmos

2013-11-22
IceCube detects first high-energy neutrinos from the cosmos World's largest particle detector opens up a new branch of astronomy This news release is available in German. Within the eternal ice of Antarctica, scientists have observed the first ...

Discovery could usher in new ice age of astrophysics

2013-11-22
Discovery could usher in new ice age of astrophysics (Edmonton) Scientists using a particle detector made of ice at the South Pole have found the first indication of high-energy neutrinos that originate outside of the solar system. "This is a huge result. It ...

Improve learning by taming instructional complexity

2013-11-22
Improve learning by taming instructional complexity Carnegie Mellon and Temple researchers offer fresh perspective for educational research VIDEO: From using concrete or ...

Researchers identify lifestyle factors linked to a healthy pregnancy

2013-11-22
Researchers identify lifestyle factors linked to a healthy pregnancy Modifiable factors such as weight, diet and drug abuse could be targeted for change On bmj.com today, researchers identify certain lifestyle factors that make it more likely for a woman ...

Dreading pain can be worse than pain itself

2013-11-22
Dreading pain can be worse than pain itself Press release from PLOS Computational Biology Faced with inevitable pain, most people choose to "get it out of the way" as soon as possible, according to research published this week in PLOS Computational Biology. ...

UEA researchers pioneer first patient-specific 3-D virtual birth simulator

2013-11-22
UEA researchers pioneer first patient-specific 3-D virtual birth simulator Computer scientists from the University of East Anglia are working to create a virtual birthing simulator that will help doctors and midwives prepare for unusual or dangerous births. The ...

Lowering 3 risk factors could cut obesity-related risk of heart disease by more than half

2013-11-22
Lowering 3 risk factors could cut obesity-related risk of heart disease by more than half Research looks at blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose Boston, MA — Controlling blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and blood glucose may substantially reduce the ...

Lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar could halve obesity-related risk of heart disease

2013-11-22
Lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar could halve obesity-related risk of heart disease Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose may substantially reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke associated with being overweight ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Older teens who start vaping post-high school risk rapid progress to frequent use

Corpse flowers are threatened by spotty recordkeeping

Riding the AI wave toward rapid, precise ocean simulations

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

[Press-News.org] Monster gamma-ray burst in our cosmic neighborhood