First simultaneous observation of a gamma-ray burst in the X-ray and in the very high energy gamma ray bandAugust 24, 2005For the first time a gamma-ray burst (GRB) has been observed simultaneously in the X-ray and in the very high energy gamma ray band. The MAGIC telescope at La Palma, Canary Islands, observed the enigmatic source GRB050713A, a long duration gamma-ray burst, only 40 seconds after the explosion, at photon energies above 175 GeV. The puzzling nature of gamma-ray bursts is still not fully understood. Sometimes, GRBs are accompanied by photons 10 billion times more energetic than visible light, lasting typically less than a few tens of seconds. They are among the most distant and luminous sources in the Universe. The capability of rapid tracking of the MAGIC telescope allowed the operators to start observing the source 20 seconds after the alert was given by the Swift satellite, which is in the Gamma ray bursts Coordinates Network, when the burst was still active in the X-ray range. The first look at the MAGIC data did not reveal strong gamma ray emissions above 175GeV. The flux limit derived at very high energies by MAGIC is extremely low, 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than the extrapolation from lower energies. A detailed analysis is in progress. The upper limit for the flux of energetic gamma rays is consistent with the expected flux of a GRB at high red-shift, strongly attenuated by cosmological pair production. These observations were reported at the 29th International Cosmic Ray Conference which was held on August 3-10 in Pune, India With its 240 square meters surface, MAGIC is the largest telescope in the world dedicated to the detection of gamma rays. It is managed by a collaboration of 17 institutes from Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, USA, Poland, Bulgaria and Armenia. The Gamma ray bursts Coordinates Network, managed by NASA, can distribute locations of GRBs detected by spacecrafts (Swift, Hete, Integral, Ipn, etc.) and reports of follow-up observations made by ground-based and space-based optical, radio, and x-ray observers. Max Planck Institute of Physics |
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| Related Gamma Ray Current Events and Gamma Ray News Articles Iowa State researchers contribute to discovery of gamma rays from starburst galaxy Iowa State University astrophysicists contributed to the recent discovery that a galaxy quickly creating new stars is also a source of high energy gamma rays. Starburst galaxy sheds light on longstanding cosmic mystery An international collaboration that includes scientists from the University of Delaware's Bartol Research Institute in the Department of Physics and Astronomy has discovered very-high-energy gamma rays in the Cigar Galaxy (M82), a bright galaxy filled with exploding stars 12 million light years from Earth. NASA's Fermi Telescope Detects Gamma-Ray From Nearby galaxies undergoing a furious pace of star formation also emit lots of gamma rays, say astronomers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Blast from the past gives clues about early universe Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope have gained tantalizing insights into the nature of the most distant object ever observed in the Universe -- a gigantic stellar explosion known as a Gamma Ray Burst (GRB). Fermi telescope caps its first year with a glimpse of space-time During its first year of operations, NASA's Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope mapped the extreme sky with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. Invading black holes explain cosmic flashes Black holes are invading stars, providing a radical explanation to bright flashes in the universe that are one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy today. Fermi Large Area Telescope reveals pulsing gamma-ray sources Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Space Science Division and a team of international researchers have positively identified cosmic sources of gamma-ray emissions through the discovery of 16 pulsating neutron stars. New experiment could reveal make-up of the universe The detectors will become part of the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) experiment, currently based in Italy, which aims to create a 'fingerprint' of the inside of the atomic nucleus to understand the structure of all matter in the Universe, including human beings and the stars. Successful completion of first riser-drilling operations in earthquake zone Kumano Basin off Kii Peninsula, approximately 58 km southeast of Japan- Despite harsh weather and ocean conditions, and complex geological characteristics of its drill site, the deep-sea drilling vessel CHIKYU, for the first time in the history of scientific ocean drilling, conducted riser-drilling operations to drill successfully down to a depth of 1,603.7 meters beneath the seafloor (at water depth of 2,054 meters). Researchers report successful riser-drilling operations in seismogenic zone Kumano Basin off Kii Peninsula, approximately 58 km southeast of Japan- Despite harsh atmospheric and ocean conditions, and complex geological characteristics of its drill site, the deep-sea drilling vessel CHIKYU, for the first time in the history of scientific ocean drilling, conducted riser-drilling operations to successfully drill down to a depth of 1,603.7 meters beneath the sea floor (at water depth of 2,054 meters). More Gamma Ray Current Events and Gamma Ray News Articles |
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