Study of Radiation Dominated Shock Waves in Gamma-Ray Burst Jets

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26800159
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Particle/Nuclear/Cosmic ray/Astro physics
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Ito Hirotaka 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 長瀧天体ビッグバン研究室, 特別研究員 (30434278)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 衝撃波 / ガンマ線バースト / 輻射輸送

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the shocks produced in the relativistic jet on the emission properties of gamma-ray bursts. The research is carried out mainly based on (1) steady state solution of radiation dominated shock waves in one dimension and (2) hydrodynamical simulation of relativistic jet in multi-dimensions.

In the case of (1), it is found that the energy spectrum of photons within the dissipation region of the radiation dominated shocks becomes highly non-thermal due to the multiple scattering by electrons. In the case of (2), it is found that the production of shocks which generates non-thermal photons are an inherent feature of relativistic jet. These results suggest that the radiation dominated shocks are the origin of the non-thermal spectrum observed in gamma-ray bursts.

Free Research Field

宇宙物理学