A critical review of observations of classical gamma-ray bursts

Details A critical review of observations of classical gamma-ray bursts A critical review of observations of classical gamma-ray bursts

Apr 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996aipc..366..137h&link_type=abstract

High velocity neutron stars and gamma-ray bursts. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 366, pp. 137-157 (1996).

Mathematics

Logic

Gamma-Ray Sources, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Gamma-Ray

Scientific paper

First, I discuss the evidence for spatial nonuniformity from burst experiments flown prior to CGRO. The range of deviations from spatial uniformity seem to be inconsistent with those expected from the corresponding range of instrumental sensitivities. After a discussion of how bursts are identified, I suggest that systematic errors, associated with burst selection criteria, are the likely source for the disparity among these experiments. Next, the statistically compelling (>~14σ) BATSE deviations from spatial uniformity are presented. I find that systematic effects are again important and present evidence that BATSE's on-board trigger is biased against the detection of both slow risers as well as rapid bursts. Such biases cause BATSE analyses to underestimate the actual of the bursts. Next, the classification of γ-ray transients are examined. I suggest that BATSE's qualitative, somewhat subjective, selection criteria can lead to problems in burst identification. Also, weak transients are more likely to be misidentified, and, consequently, the neglect of this bias produces a further small underestimation of the BATSE of the bursts. Next, I examine the important issue of BATSE location errors. Although such sky locations are consistent with isotropy, I suggest that the proper appreciation of systematics plays a pivotal role in interpreting such results. Then GINGA measurements of burst absorption features are presented. It seems very unlikely that such features result from statistical fluctuations, and I suggest that any discrepancy between BATSE's absence of line detections and GINGA detections resides with BATSE, not GINGA. The controversial report (71) of cosmological time dilation in BATSE bursts is addressed next. I find that unambiguous detection of such cosmological time dilation seems unlikely. Finally, I examine the reports (89,81) of evidence for classical bursts repetitions. I suggest that, if burst sources repeat infrequently (~2 yr-1), the BASTE upper limits permit almost complete freedom in model building.

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