Explanation of GRB and Early Afterglows as Quark-Nova Phenomenon
Abstract
The recent studies of early afterglows of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) with Swiftsatellite reveals some interesting phenomena which we are modelling with Quark-Nova. This involves strange stars which operate in two steps. Instep one, normal nuclear matter gets converted to strange quark matter dueto the extreme physical conditions created by a supernova. This strangequark matter then shrinks to form a strange star. The strange star containscharge neutral, beta equilibrated strange quark matter and is surrounded bya thin electron cloud. The energy released during the conversion process isemitted as a GRB. In step two, the remaining normal matter envelopematerial in the supernova remnant falls freely to form a crust for thestrange star. The collision of infalling particles with the electrons ofthe cloud produces X-ray afterglows. This production of X-ray fromcollisions causes the observed broken power law in the afterglow lightcurve.
- Publication:
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KITP Conference: Supernova and Gamma-Ray Burst Remnants
- Pub Date:
- February 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006sgrb.confE...4B