Polarization of GRB via scattering off a relativistic sheath

Preprint

3 September 2003

preprint
Published by arXiv in arXiv

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/0306360

Abstract

GRB fireballs could be ensheathed by a relativistic, baryon-enriched outflow that would in selected directions scatter a polarized beam of gamma rays. The strong polarization recently announced by RHESSI is attainable by the scattering mechanism, though not most of the time. The scattering mechanism, when acting in addition to the synchrotron mechanism, could circumvent some of the predictions implied by a purely synchrotron origin for the polarization. The time profile of the scattered component could differ from that of the primary gamma rays.

Keywords

SCATTERING MECHANISM
SELECTED DIRECTIONS
RELATIVISTIC SHEATH
GRB FIREBALLS
POLARIZATION
GAMMA RAYS
SHEATH GRB

All Related Versions

Version 1, 2003-06-18, ArXiv
Version 2, 2003-09-03, ArXiv
Published version: The Astrophysical Journal, 596 (2), L147.

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