Critical Test Of Gamma Ray Burst Theories

TL;DR

This study critically tests gamma-ray burst theories using precise X-ray afterglow measurements, confirming the cannonball model's predictions and challenging the fireball model's assumptions.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive test of GRB theories against high-precision X-ray afterglow data, favoring the cannonball model over the fireball model.

Findings

X-ray afterglow decay matches cannonball model predictions

Discrepancy observed with fireball model predictions

Supports the spectral index-based prediction of the CB model

Abstract

Very long and precise follow-up measurements of the X-ray afterglow of very intense gamma ray bursts (GRBs) allow a critical test of GRB theories. Here we show that the single power-law decay with time of the X-ray afterglow of GRB 130427A, the record long and most accurately measured X-ray afterglow of an intense GRB by the Swift, Chandra and XMM Newton space observatories, and of all other known intense GRBs, is that predicted by the cannonball (CB) model of GRBs from their measured spectral index, while it disagrees with that predicted by the widely accepted fireball (FB) models of GRBs.