108 research outputs found
Cosmological versus Intrinsic: The Correlation between Intensity and the Peak of the nu F_nu Spectrum of Gamma Ray Bursts
We present results of correlation studies, examining the association between
the peak of the nu F_nu spectrum of gamma ray bursts, E_p, with the burst's
energy fluence and photon peak flux. We discuss methods to account for data
truncation in E_p and fluence or flux when performing the correlation analyses.
However, because bursts near the detector threshold are not usually able to
provide reliable spectral parameters, we focus on results for the brightest
bursts in which we can better understand the selection effects relevant to E_p
and burst strength.
We find that there is a strong correlation between total fluence and E_p. We
discuss these results in terms of both cosmological and intrinsic effects.
In particular, we show that for realistic distributions of the burst
parameters, cosmological expansion alone cannot account for the correlation
between E_p and total fluence; the observed correlation is likely a result of
an intrinsic relation between the burst rest-frame peak energy and the total
radiated energy. We investigate this latter scenario in the context of
synchrotron radiation from external and internal shock models of GRBs. We find
that the internal shock model is consistent with our interpretation of the
correlation, while the external shock model cannot easily explain this
intrinsic relation between peak energy and burst radiated energy.Comment: 23 pages, including 8 postscript figures. Submitted to Ap
The BATSE Gamma-Ray Burst Spectral Catalog. I. High Time Resolution Spectroscopy of Bright Bursts using High Energy Resolution Data
This is the first in a series of gamma-ray burst spectroscopy catalogs from
the Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray
Observatory, each covering a different aspect of burst phenomenology. In this
paper, we present time-sequences of spectral fit parameters for 156 bursts
selected for either their high peak flux or fluence. All bursts have at least
eight spectra in excess of 45 sigma above background and span burst durations
from 1.66 to 278 s. Individual spectral accumulations are typically 128 ms long
at the peak of the brightest events, but can be as short as 16 ms, depending on
the type of data selected. We have used mostly high energy resolution data from
the Large Area Detectors, covering an energy range of typically 28 - 1800 keV.
The spectral model chosen is from a small empirically-determined set of
functions, such as the well-known `GRB' function, that best fits the
time-averaged burst spectra. Thus, there are generally three spectral shape
parameters available for each of the 5500 total spectra: a low-energy power-law
index, a characteristic break energy and possibly a high-energy power-law
index. We present the distributions of the observed sets of these parameters
and comment on their implications. The complete set of data that accompanies
this paper is necessarily large, and thus is archived electronically at:
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/journal/.Comment: Accepted for publication: ApJS, 125. 38 pages, 9 figures;
supplementary electronic archive to be published by ApJ; available from lead
author upon reques
Spectral Properties of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts
The distribution of GRB durations is bimodal, but there is little additional
evidence to support the division of GRBs into short and long classes. Based on
simple hardness ratios, several studies have shown a tendency for longer GRBs
to have softer energy spectra. Using a database of standard model fits to BATSE
GRBs, we compare the distributions of spectral parameters for short and long
bursts. Our preliminary results show that the average spectral break energy
differs discontinuously between short and long burst classes, but within each
class shows only a weak dependence on burst duration.Comment: 3 pages, 1 postscript figure. To appear in the proceedings of the
October 2000 Rome Workshop "Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era
Occultation analysis of BATSE data: Operational aspects
The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) large area detectors are being used to monitor hard x-ray/gamma ray sources on a daily basis for evidence of transient behavior. Flux measurements are performed using a simple earth occultation technique. Daily searches are also being performed to detect occultation steps of sources which are not being routinely monitored. Topics concerning the operational aspects of the occultation measurements are presented. Preliminary spectral results are also presented for several of the brighter sources
Radiations and female fertility
Hundreds of thousands of young women are diagnosed with cancer each year, and due to recent advances in screening programs, diagnostic methods and treatment options, survival rates have significantly improved. Radiation therapy plays an important role in cancer treatment and in some cases it constitutes the first therapy proposed to the patient. However, ionizing radiations have a gonadotoxic action with long-term effects that include ovarian insufficiency, pubertal arrest and subsequent infertility. Cranial irradiation may lead to disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, with consequent dysregulation of the normal hormonal secretion. The uterus might be damaged by radiotherapy, as well. In fact, exposure to radiation during childhood leads to altered uterine vascularization, decreased uterine volume and elasticity, myometrial fibrosis and necrosis, endometrial atrophy and insufficiency. As radiations have a relevant impact on reproductive potential, fertility preservation procedures should be carried out before and/or during anticancer treatments. Fertility preservation strategies have been employed for some years now and have recently been diversified thanks to advances in reproductive biology. Aim of this paper is to give an overview of the various effects of radiotherapy on female reproductive function and to describe the current fertility preservation options
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