Abstract This paper summarizes the model of γ-ray burst spectra proposed by Zdziarski and Lamb (1986, 1987). In the model, the spectrum arises from multiple Compton scatterings in a nonthermal source with a deficit of soft photons (L soft ⪡ L, where L soft is the soft photon luminosity and L is the luminosity supplied to the nonthermal electrons). The steady-state electron distribution in such a source is a nonthermal power law that joins at low energies onto a thermal distribution that may be either optically thick or optically thin. Both cases lead naturally to a two-component spectrum with α X ⪡ 1 and α γ > α X, where α X and α γ are the photon energy indices in the X-ray and γ-ray portions of the spectrum, respectively. For a wide range of parameters, α X ∼ 0 and α γ ∼ 0.5–2.5. Fits to the observed γ-ray burst spectra in the few cases where data exist for both X-ray and γ-ray energies show good agreement with the model.


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    Title :

    Photon-deficient Compton scattering by nonthermal electrons. Comparison with gamma-ray burst spectra


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1986-01-01


    Size :

    5 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





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