Relativity at Action or Gamma-Ray Bursts

TL;DR

Gamma-ray bursts are highly relativistic phenomena that have challenged previous assumptions, with recent observations revealing their extreme relativistic nature and significance in astrophysics.

Contribution

This paper highlights the relativistic nature of gamma-ray bursts based on recent observational data, emphasizing their importance in understanding relativistic astrophysical processes.

Findings

GRBs are the most relativistic objects discovered so far.

Recent BATSE observations revolutionized understanding of GRBs.

GRBs are associated with extreme relativistic phenomena.

Abstract

Gamma ray Bursts (GRBs) - short bursts of few hundred keV $\gamma$-rays - have fascinated astronomers since their accidental discovery in the sixties. GRBs were ignored by most relativists who did not expect that they are associated with any relativistic phenomenon. The recent observations of the BATSE detector on the Compton GRO satellite have revolutionized our ideas on these bursts and the picture that emerges shows that GRBs are the most relativistic objects discovered so far.