Our country's researchers propose a new explanation for the origin of ultra-long gamma-ray bursts

Gamma-ray bursts are among the most intense explosive phenomena in the universe, with durations typically ranging from milliseconds to several minutes. Recently, a new study has provided a fresh perspective on understanding this event. A team from the National Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics at the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, used a self-developed new analysis tool to comprehensively search the observational data from satellites such as Huiyan and Jimu for 30 days before and after this gamma-ray burst. They found that the burst lasted up to 29 hours in the gamma-ray band, breaking the record for the duration of gamma-ray bursts. Additionally, the team discovered that the associated X-ray radiation also exhibited unique temporal variability features. Based on these findings, the research team proposed a new “Supergiant Self-Regulating Collapse Star Model.” This model suggests that the progenitor star of this gamma-ray burst was a supergiant with a mass far exceeding that of the Sun. Unlike typical gamma-ray burst progenitors, the collapse of a supergiant can last for several tens of days. When the supergiant exhausts its fuel, its core first collapses to form a black hole, which rapidly accretes the inner material of the supergiant, producing jets approaching the speed of light—this is the source of the gamma-ray burst explosion. During subsequent accretion, slower jets are generated, emitting X-ray radiation. (Xinhua)