Astronomers recorded the most powerful gamma-ray burst in history

The strongest gamma-ray burst ever observed was GRB221009A, which was observed on October 9. It has a photon energy of 18 TeV. It is thought to have originated during the explosion of a supernova with enormous strength.

The most powerful gamma-ray burst in history

The orbiting observatory captured a very strong flare on October 9 that peaked in the X-ray and gamma-ray spectrum. Scientists first assumed that this was a minor flare that happened somewhere in our galaxy. It was given the Swift J1913.1+1946 designation.

The explosion, one of the most intense ever observed, really took place 2.4 billion light-years away from Earth, according to later study of its properties. Then, it adopted the new name GRB221009A.
This burst was also examined by the Chinese High Altitude Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), which was built to analyze Cherenkov radiation. It discovered that the energy of the photons it produced was 18 TeV.

Only a small number of events with photons with energy measured in TeV have been observed throughout the history of seeing the sky. Additionally, no particle with an energy greater than 10 TeV has ever been seen previously. To put things into perspective, the most energetic collision at the Large Hadron Collider only produced two particles with an energy of 13 TeV.

What caused this outburst?

One of the most potent processes known to humankind is the gamma-ray burst. They unleash as much energy in a few seconds as a star like our Sun does in a billion years.

They come in a variety of varieties, each with a unique source and flow characteristics. For instance, in 2017, scientists saw a brief gamma-ray burst caused by the collision of two neutron stars.

Unknown is the nature of GRB221009A. But as of right now, it resembles a prolonged gamma-ray burst. When the biggest stars in the cosmos die, these enormous flares are created. The particles receive a ton of energy from a supernova flare of extraordinary strength.

Research on GRB221009A is still underway. It has so far been established that it happened in a far-off galaxy with a lot more dust. Astronomers may eventually comprehend what gave it its strong nature.

According to ScienceAlert

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