The Most Powerful Explosions in the Universe Emit Way More Energy Than Anyone Thought

[Judi Lynn]

By Charles Q. Choi 12 hours ago



An image of the gamma-ray burst GRB 190114C based on data gathered by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on Feb. 11 and March 12, 2019.
(Image: © NASA, ESA, and V. Acciari et al. 2019)


Gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful kinds of explosions known in the universe, can generate even more energetic light beams than astronomers previously realized, according to a set of new studies.

The new research suggests that scientists may have been missing about half of the energy that gamma-ray bursts produce, and offers one possible explanation for how that light reaches such high energy levels. These findings shed light on how these extraordinary explosions happen, and how they can reshape the universe, researchers said.

A gamma-ray burst gives off as much energy in milliseconds to minutes as the sun is expected to emit during its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. Previous research suggested that the deaths of giant stars or the merging of neutron stars or black holes trigger these explosions.

Such a spectacle starts with a bright flash of gamma-rays, the highest-energy form of light. Next comes an afterglow of all different types of light that can last for months or even years.

More:
https://www.space.com/gamma-ray-bursts-high-energy-light.html?utm_source=notification

[greyl]

1. That's what i thought.