Gamma-Ray Bursts: An Overview of Recent Observational Progress
Abstract
Gamma-ray bursts have, since their discovery in 1969, been the archetypal astrophysical mystery. Despite the detection of thousands of events, our knowledge of the origin and nature of GRBs remained minimal for nearly 30 years. Progress in understanding gamma-ray bursts has undergone explosive growth since the observation in 1997 of the first optical afterglow of a burst. The discovery of afterglows was followed in 1999 by the first simultaneous optical detection of a GRB. These discoveries constitute the beginning of a new field, the multiwavelength study of GRBs. We review here some highlights of what we have learned over the last two years, and look ahead towards an observational program likely to settle most of the remaining GRB questions.
- Publication:
-
Physics in Collision XIX
- Pub Date:
- 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1142/9789812792648_0013
- Bibcode:
- 2000phco.conf..188M