Gamma-ray bursts release not only gamma rays, but also radio waves, optical light, and X-rays. When the efficiency of converting explosion energy to emitted energy is high, the total energy of the explosion can be determined by summing up all the emitted energy. However, when the conversion efficiency is low or uncertain, measuring only the emitted energy is not sufficient to calculate the total explosion energy.
Measuring the degree of polarization is referred to as polarimetry. In astrophysical observations, measuring a celestial object’s polarimetry is not as easy as measuring its brightness. But it offers valuable information on the physical conditions of objects.Very Large Telescope “This difference in polarization at the two wavelengths reveals detailed physical conditions of the gamma-ray burst’s emission region,” said Toma. “In particular, it allowed us to measure the previously unmeasurable hidden energy.”
With the explosion energy representing the gravitational energy of the progenitor star, being able to measure this figure has important ramifications for determining stars’ masses.
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