Polarization in Gamma-Ray Bursts Produced by Pinch Discharge

Large-voltage, high-temperature plasma columns produced by pinch discharge can generate γ-ray flashes with energy spectra and spectral evolution consistent with what are observed in γ-ray bursts (GRBs), and the inverse Compton scattering (ICS) during the discharge process can produce high linear polarization. Our calculation indicates that the observed polarization depends on the angle between the line-of-sight to the GRB and the direction of the pinch discharge, but only weakly depends on observed γ-ray energy.