Cosmic Ray Ion and Electron Production at Relativistic Shocks in Gamma-Ray Bursts

伽玛射线暴（GRB）是宇宙中迷人而神秘的天体。超高能宇宙射线（UHECR）同样引起了物理学家和天体物理学家的注意，导致了基于粒子物理学预测的奇异起源假设。为了更清楚地了解超高能ECR和伽玛暴之间可能存在的联系，我们需要进一步理解宇宙射线谱是如何与伽玛射线暴辐射耦合的。本提案的主要目标之一是建立一个更健全的这种联系模式。最近确认在UHECR光谱中存在6 °左右的Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin（GZK）截止点，这加强了这样做的授权。1019 eV的皮埃尔俄歇实验。这个项目将解决如何冲击流出的相对论性质的爆发影响的即时发射光谱，在伽玛射线波段检测。第二个问题，将被解决的是什么是相对效率的加速电子和离子在相对论冲击认为是存在于伽玛暴，以及如何可以从这些来源的光子数据被用来探测这个效率比。另外两个问题，将被调查的伽玛射线暴冲击是否有效地产生离子种群的极高的UHECR能量，什么是预期的中微子通量从伽玛射线暴作为潜在的信号的冰立方实验？ 更广泛的影响是，结果将被调整，以显示在公共维护的网站上。一名研究生将作为这项工作的一个组成部分，该学生将参与在适当的研究生赖斯课程中每年至少讲授两次关于伽马射线爆发的讲座。PI的一个长期目标是在莱斯大学为高年级本科生开设一门暑期课程，包括伽马射线爆发的主题。PI计划向公众和休斯顿地区的学校介绍这项工作的各个方面，以及令人兴奋的伽马射线爆发领域的亮点，继续与休斯顿地区天文学会和K-12计划建立关系

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are fascinating and enigmatic objects in theUniverse. Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) have similarly caught the attention of physicists and astrophysicists, leading to, among other ideas, postulates of exotic origin based on predictions from particle physics. To make clearer a possible connection between UHECRs and GRBs, one needs to refine our understanding of how the cosmic ray spectrum couples to burst gamma-ray emission. Forging a more robust model of this connection is a principal goal of this proposal. The mandate to do so has been enhanced by the recent confirmation of the existence of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff in the UHECR spectrum at around 6 °? 1019 eV by the Pierre Auger experiment. This project will address how does the relativistic nature of the shocked outflow in bursts influence the prompt emission spectra that was detected in the gamma-ray band. A second question that will be addressed is what is the relative efficiency of accelerating electrons and ions in relativistic shocks thought to be present in GRBs, and how can photon data from these sources be used to probe this efficiency ratio,. Two other questions that will be investigated are whether GRB shocks efficiently generate ion populations up to the extremely high UHECR energies, and what are the anticipated neutrino fluxes from GRBs as potential signals for the IceCube experiment? The broader impacts are that the results will be adapted for display on publicly maintained Web sites. A graduate student will be engaged as an integral part of the work and this student will be involved in teaching at least two lectures per year on gamma-ray bursts in appropriate ndergraduate Rice courses. A long term goal of the PI is to develop a summer course at Rice offered to senior undergraduates including the topic of gamma-ray bursts. The PI plans to present aspects of this work, and highlights of the exciting field of gamma-ray bursts, to the general public and Houston area schools,continuing an established relationship with the Houston area astronomy societies and K-12 programs