Title: | A Turbulent Model of Gamma-Ray Burst Variability |
Author: |
Narayan, Ramesh; Kumar, Pawan
Note: Order does not necessarily reflect citation order of authors. |
Citation: | Narayan, Ramesh, and Pawan Kumar. 2009. A turbulent model of gamma-ray burst variability. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters 394(1): L117–L120. |
Full Text & Related Files: |
turbulent_model_of_gamma_ray.pdf (101.2Kb; PDF) ![]() |
Abstract: | A popular paradigm to explain the rapid temporal variability observed in gamma-ray burst (GRB) light curves is the internal shock model. We propose an alternative model in which the radiating fluid in the GRB shell is relativistically turbulent with a typical eddy Lorentz factor \(\gamma_t\). In this model, all pulses in the gamma-ray light curve are produced at roughly the same distance \(R\) from the centre of the explosion. The burst duration is \(\sim R/c \Gamma^2\), where \(\Gamma\) is the bulk Lorentz factor of the expanding shell, and the duration of individual pulses in the light curve is \(\sim R/c \Gamma^2{\gamma^2}_t\). The model naturally produces highly variable light curves with \(\sim {\gamma^2}_t\) individual pulses. Even though the model assumes highly inhomogeneous conditions, nevertheless the efficiency for converting jet energy to radiation is high. |
Published Version: | doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2009.00624.x |
Other Sources: | http://arxiv.org/abs/0812.0018 |
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Citable link to this page: | http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:9282600 |
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