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An Overview of Gamma-ray Bursts Detections with the Fermi Spacecraft

Date:
-
Location:
CP179
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s):
Dan Kocevski (Goddard Space Flight Center)

Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful known explosions in the universe.  These enigmatic events are thought to the be due to the collapse of a massive star, which radiates energy roughly equivalent to the rest mass energy of the Sun in the matter of seconds.  The launch of the Fermi spacecraft in 2008 has opened a new window into the ultra high energy properties from these events.  I will review some of the recent discoveries made through Fermi observations of GRBs, ranging from limits to quantum gravity models to the recent detection of the brightest GRB ever observed, GRB 130427A.  The emission from this exceptional event was of sufficient energy and duration that it has challenged the fundamental assumptions regarding the particle acceleration and emission mechanisms thought to produce the high-energy gamma-ray from GRBs.