Illuminated, and enlightened, by GRB 991216

Citation
M. Vietri et al., Illuminated, and enlightened, by GRB 991216, ASTROPHYS J, 550(1), 2001, pp. L43-L46
Citations number
15
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
ISSN journal
0004637X → ACNP
Volume
550
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Part
2
Pages
L43 - L46
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(20010320)550:1<L43:IAEBG9>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
We consider models for the generation of the emission line recently discove red in the X-ray afterglow spectrum of several bursts and, especially, of G RB 991216 observed by Chandra. These observations suggest the presence of 0 .1-1 M-. of iron in the vicinity of the bursts. We show that there are stro ng geometric and kinematic constraints M, on the line-emitting material. We discuss several classes of models, favoring one where the line photons are produced by reflection off the walls of a wide funnel of semiopening angle theta approximate to 45 degrees excavated in a young (a few months old) su pernova remnant made of approximate to 10 M-. with radius 6 x 10(15) cm and approximate to1 M-. of iron, providing strong support for the "supranova" model.