3 Review(s)

Cosmic gamma ray bursts (GRBs) have fascinated scientists and the public alike since their discovery in the late 1960s. Their story is told here by some of the scientists who participated in their discovery and, after many decades of false starts, solved the problem of their origin. Fourteen chapters by active researchers in the field present a detailed history of the discovery, a comprehensive theoretical description of GRB central engine and emission models, a discussion of GRB host galaxies and a guide to how GRBs can be used as cosmological tools. Observations are grouped into three sets from the satellites CGRO, BeppoSAX and Swift, and followed by a discussion of multi-wavelength observations. This is the first edited volume on GRB astrophysics that presents a fully comprehensive review of the subject. Utilizing the latest research, Gamma-ray Bursts is an essential desktop companion for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics. Table of Contents Prologue 1. The discovery of the gamma-ray burst phenomenon 2. Instrumental principles 3. The BATSE era G 4. The cosmological era 5. The Swift era 6. Discoveries enabled by multi-wavelength afterglow observations of gamma-ray bursts 7. Prompt emission from gamma-ray bursts 8. Basic gamma-ray burst afterglows 9. The GRB-supernova connection 10. Models for gamma-ray burst progenitors and central engines 11. Jets and gamma-ray burst unification schemes 12. High-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos 13. Long gamma-ray burst host galaxies and their environments 14. Gamma-ray burst cosmology 15. Epilogue Index.