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Type of talk
Seminar
Speaker
Dr. Rahul Gupta
Affiliation
NASA-GSFC
Date and Time of Talk
Venue
Auditorium
Abstract

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most energetic and luminous events in the Universe, emitting intense radiation that outshines the entire galaxy for brief moments. Since their serendipitous discovery in the late 1960s, GRBs have fascinated astronomers and driven forward our understanding of cosmic energetic phenomena. This talk will explore the key discoveries that have shaped our knowledge of GRBs, from their initial detection by military satellites to the identification of their extragalactic origins, and their classification into long and short bursts. Further, I will discuss the mechanisms powering these extraordinary explosions and the pivotal role of missions like Swift, Fermi, and AstroSat, as well as the importance of multi-wavelength observations in uncovering their mysteries. Additionally, we will discuss recent advancements in GRB research, such as the remarkable GRB 170817A, associated with the GW170817 neutron star merger, which has provided insights into the link between gravitational waves and GRBs. This event confirmed that such mergers can produce short GRBs. We will also discuss the long-duration GRB 211211A/GRB 230307A, originating from a merger, with the short-duration GRB 200826A, attributed to a collapsar. Observations of very high-energy (VHE) emissions from GRBs have shed light on the extreme conditions within these explosive events. Furthermore, the record-breaking GRB 221009A, known as the BOAT (Brightest Of All Time), illustrates the diversity and complexity. These recent discoveries have challenged and expanded our classical understanding of GRBs.

Email Speaker
rahul.gupta@nasa.gov
About Speaker

Dr. Rahul Gupta is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA. His research work is mainly focused on time-domain astronomy (towards gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and their afterglows, supernovae (SNe), and other transients) based on data across the electromagnetic band. Presently, he is investigating the prompt emission (gamma and X-rays) spectro-polarimetric studies of GRBs using AstroSat CZTI observations.

Email Host
jagdish@aries.res.in
Host Name
Jagdish
Host Phone (ext/mob)
755