A novel explosive process is required for the gamma-ray burst GRB 060614

Article

关键词: SUPERNOVA 2002AP;    HOST GALAXY;    SPECTROSCOPY;    AFTERGLOW;    PHOTOMETRY;    GRB-050709;    RATES;   

DOI  :  10.1038/nature05373

来源: SCIE

【 摘 要 】

Over the past decade, our physical understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has progressed rapidly, thanks to the discovery and observation of their long-lived afterglow emission. Long-duration (greater than or similar to 2 s) GRBs are associated with the explosive deaths of massive stars ('collapsars', ref. 1), which produce accompanying supernovae(2-5); the short- duration (less than or similar to 2 s) GRBs have a different origin, which has been argued to be the merger of two compact objects(6-9). Here we report optical observations of GRB 060614 (duration 100 s, ref. 10) that rule out the presence of an associated supernova. This would seem to require a new explosive process: either a massive collapsar that powers a GRB without any associated supernova, or a new type of 'engine', as long-lived as the collapsar but without a massive star. We also show that the properties of the host galaxy (redshift z = 0.125) distinguish it from other long-duration GRB hosts and suggest that an entirely new type of GRB progenitor may be required.

【 授权许可】

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