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A giant γ-ray flare from the magnetar SGR 1806–20

Author

Listed:
  • D. M. Palmer

    (Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • S. Barthelmy

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • N. Gehrels

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • R. M. Kippen

    (Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • T. Cayton

    (Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • C. Kouveliotou

    (NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center)

  • D. Eichler

    (Ben Gurion University)

  • R. A. M. J. Wijers

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • P. M. Woods

    (Universities Space Research Association, NSSTC, XD-12)

  • J. Granot

    (Stanford University)

  • Y. E. Lyubarsky

    (Ben Gurion University)

  • E. Ramirez-Ruiz

    (Institute for Advanced Study)

  • L. Barbier

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • M. Chester

    (Pennsylvania State University)

  • J. Cummings

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    National Research Council)

  • E. E. Fenimore

    (Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • M. H. Finger

    (Universities Space Research Association, NSSTC, XD-12)

  • B. M. Gaensler

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

  • D. Hullinger

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • H. Krimm

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    Universities Space Research Association, Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • C. B. Markwardt

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    University of Maryland)

  • J. A. Nousek

    (Pennsylvania State University)

  • A. Parsons

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • S. Patel

    (Universities Space Research Association, NSSTC, XD-12)

  • T. Sakamoto

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    Institute for Advanced Study)

  • G. Sato

    (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)/JAXA)

  • M. Suzuki

    (Saitama University)

  • J. Tueller

    (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

Abstract

Flares back in fashion On 27 December last year, SGR1806–20, a soft γ-ray repeater in Sagittarius, released a giant flare that has been called the brightest explosion ever recorded. SGRs are X-ray stars that sporadically emit low-energy γ-ray bursts. They are thought to be magnetars: neutron stars with observable emissions powered by magnetic dissipation. Five papers in this issue report initial and follow-up observations of this event. The data are remarkable: for instance in a fifth of a second, the flare released as much energy as the Sun radiates in a quarter of a million years. Such power can be explained by catastrophic global crust failure and magnetic reconnection on a magnetar. Releasing a hundred times the energy of the only two previous SGR giant flares, this may have been a once-in-a-lifetime event for astronomers, and for the star itself.

Suggested Citation

  • D. M. Palmer & S. Barthelmy & N. Gehrels & R. M. Kippen & T. Cayton & C. Kouveliotou & D. Eichler & R. A. M. J. Wijers & P. M. Woods & J. Granot & Y. E. Lyubarsky & E. Ramirez-Ruiz & L. Barbier & M. C, 2005. "A giant γ-ray flare from the magnetar SGR 1806–20," Nature, Nature, vol. 434(7037), pages 1107-1109, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:434:y:2005:i:7037:d:10.1038_nature03525
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03525
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