Multi-messenger astrophysics

Unveiling the Secrets of the BOAT (GRB 221009A)

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Episode Title: Unveiling the Secrets of the BOAT (GRB 221009A)

Description: Explore the awe-inspiring power and scientific significance of GRB 221009A, the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded. Join us as we unpack the observations from multiple telescopes, including Fermi-LAT, LHAASO, and H.E.S.S., to understand the mechanisms behind this extraordinary event.

Key Talking Points:

  • Unprecedented Brightness: We'll discuss how GRB 221009A's brightness caused a Bad Time Interval (BTI) for the Fermi-LAT instrument due to the intense flux of X-rays and soft gamma rays.
  • Multiwavelength Observations: Discover how observations from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), and the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) provided crucial insights into the burst's behavior across a wide energy range.
  • Challenging Existing Models: Learn how the high-energy emissions observed challenge traditional synchrotron models and point towards the possibility of synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) radiation as a key contributor.
  • Record-Breaking Photon: We'll examine the detection of a remarkable 400 GeV photon by Fermi-LAT and a record-breaking 18 TeV photon by LHAASO, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of GRB physics.

    • Links to Papers:

    • Fermi-LAT Collaboration Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.04580v1
    • H.E.S.S. Collaboration Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/acc405/pdf
    • LHAASO Collaboration Papers:
    • https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg9328
      • https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adj2778


        • Acknowledgements: Illustration from NASA/Swift/Cruz deWilde. Podcast created by Google/NotebookLM.

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        Multi-messenger astrophysicsBy Astro-COLIBRI