Careful analysis of the data revealed a new type of gamma-ray bursts

The group of astronomers argues that proved the existence of the universe weak gamma-ray bursts, said in a press release on the site of the European Space Agency (ESA). Scientists came to this conclusion, after careful analysis of data from the European orbital telescope INTEGRAL.

Gamma bursts (Gamma-ray burst, GRB) - short (average length ranges from a few milliseconds to a few hundred seconds), recurrent, very powerful (from a few dozen to several hundred kiloelektronvolt) explosions. It is believed that gamma-ray bursts are the result of the merger of neutron stars (short gamma-ray bursts) or collapse of massive stars (long bursts).

According to some estimates, the observable parts of the sky each year about 1400 gamma-ray bursts, but managed to record much less as astronomers do not know where exactly will happen next outbreak. The telescope INTEGRAL, launched in 2002, on average, "notes" about a dozen gamma-ray bursts each year. From October 2002 to July 2007, he collected data on 47 outbreaks.

In analyzing the data Irish scientists noticed that some of the weakest gamma-ray flashes are different from other outbreaks of the characteristics of radiation. In addition, they were characterized by Afterglow of the X-ray and optical wavelength. These observations give reason to allocate weak gamma bursts into a separate class.

Until now it was believed that weaker flash of gamma-match surge that occurred in more remote areas of the universe than others. New results of Irish scientists suggest that the weak gamma-ray bursts may occur close to Earth. Unusual properties such outbreaks are determined that they are different from the rest of the origin of gamma-ray bursts. The authors work suggest that the weak gamma-ray bursts may occur, for example, the merger of two white dwarfs (stars the size of a thick earth), or merge with the white dwarf with a neutron star or black hole.

Evidence that some gamma-ray bursts may be formed by other mechanisms, have been received in January 2008, when astronomers observed the oldest short gamma-ray outburst. In addition to a record surge in brightness of gamma radiation, called GRB 080319B had an unusually long poslesvecheniem. One theory to explain netipichnoe "behavior" GRB 080319B, does not exist yet.