Source – earth.com
New Insights into the BOAT’s Extraordinary Energy Burst
Nearly two years after its detection, the gamma-ray burst (GRB) known as the BOAT, or “Brightest of All Time,” continues to astonish scientists with its intensity and the enigmatic data it has provided. A recent study published in Science reveals a groundbreaking discovery within the burst, offering fresh perspectives on its remarkable power.
Lead author Maria Edvige Ravasio from Radboud University in the Netherlands highlighted a unique energy peak recorded shortly after the BOAT’s eruption. “A few minutes post-eruption, the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor captured an unusual energy spike that immediately caught our attention,” Ravasio explained. “This signal was unlike anything we’ve observed in 50 years of GRB studies.”
Unprecedented Energy Emission Detected
The BOAT, which was detected in October 2022, is believed to have resulted from a massive star going supernova and collapsing into a black hole. The event was so intense that it overwhelmed NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. However, new findings reveal an extraordinary energy peak that appeared approximately five minutes into the burst, lasting around 40 seconds and reaching an astounding 12 million electron volts. For comparison, visible light ranges between two to three electron volts.
The researchers attribute this peak to the annihilation of matter and antimatter within one of the jets ejected during the collapse. Study coauthor Gor Oganesyan from Gran Sasso Science Institute in Italy explained that the collision of an electron with its antimatter counterpart, a positron, released an immense amount of energy—about half a million electron volts.
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The Impact of Jet Alignment
The intensity of this emission was further magnified because the jet was aligned directly towards Earth. This alignment, coupled with the high-speed motion of the matter, led to a significant blueshift, increasing the gamma rays’ energy frequency. “The jet’s near-light-speed travel caused the emission to be pushed toward higher energies,” Oganesyan noted.
Despite this adjustment in perceived power, the BOAT remains an extraordinary event in cosmic terms. The detailed observation of this burst provides valuable insights into the behavior of gamma-ray jets and their underlying mechanisms.
Future Prospects and Ongoing Research
Elizabeth Hays, Fermi project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, expressed the ongoing significance of the BOAT’s findings. “Decades of studying these cosmic explosions have not yet unraveled all the mysteries of jet behavior,” Hays said. “Discoveries like this emission line are crucial for deepening our understanding of these extreme cosmic environments.”
As scientists continue to analyze the BOAT and similar events, the insights gained promise to enhance our knowledge of gamma-ray bursts and their profound implications for astrophysics.
