Plasmas in Gamma-Ray Bursts: particle acceleration, magnetic fields, radiative Processes and environments

TL;DR

This paper reviews plasma physics phenomena in gamma-ray bursts, focusing on particle acceleration, magnetic fields, radiative processes, and environments, to understand their complex lightcurves and spectra.

Contribution

It summarizes recent progress on key physical problems in GRBs, including shock acceleration, magnetic reconnection, radiative mechanisms, and environmental signatures.

Findings

Insights into shock-induced particle acceleration

Role of magnetic reconnection in plasma energization

Understanding radiative processes shaping GRB spectra

Abstract

Being the most extreme explosions in the universe, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) provide a unique laboratory to study various plasma physics phenomena. The complex lightcurve and broad-band, non-thermal spectra indicate a very complicated system on the one hand, but on the other hand provide a wealth of information to study it. In this chapter I focus on recent progress in some of the key unsolved physical problems. These include: (1) Particle acceleration and magnetic field generation in shock waves; (2) Possible role of strong magnetic fields in accelerating the plasmas, and accelerating particles via magnetic reconnection process; (3) Various radiative processes that shape the observed lightcurve and spectra, both during the prompt and the afterglow phases, and finally (4) GRB environments and their possible observational signature.