Abstract
Most Fermi gamma-ray burst spectra appear as either a broken power law extending to GeV energies or as a broken power with a separate GeV power-law component. Here we show that such spectra can be understood in terms of magnetically dominated relativistic jets where a dissipative photosphere produces the prompt MeV emission, which is extended into the GeV range by inverse Compton scattering in the external shock, with possible contributions from a reverse shock as well. The bulk Lorentz factors required in these models are in the range of 300-600, and the MeV-GeV time delays arise naturally. In some cases an optical flash and a sub-dominant thermal component are also present.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 12 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 755 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 10 2012 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science