In a first for radio astronomy, scientists have detected millimeter-wavelength light from a short-duration gamma-ray burst. This artist's conception shows the merger between a neutron star and another star which caused an explosion resulting in the short-duration gamma-ray burst, GRB 211106A , and left behind what scientists now know to be one of the most luminous afterglows on record .
A short-duration GRB usually lasts only a few tenths of a second. Scientists then look for an afterglow, an emission of light caused by the interaction of the jets with surrounding gas. Even still, they're difficult to detect; only half-a-dozen short-duration GRBs have been detected at, and until now none had been detected in millimeter wavelengths.
Wen-fai Fong, an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University added,"This short gamma-ray burst was the first time we tried to observe such an event with ALMA. Afterglows for short bursts are very difficult to come by, so it was spectacular to catch this event shining so bright.
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