In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has identified a spectral line with energy levels peaking at 37 million electron volts (MeV) during an exceptionally powerful gamma-ray burst. The burst, known as the Brightest Of All Time (BOAT), was caused by the death of a massive star in the constellation Sagitta over two billion years ago. The gamma-ray burst was so intense that it blinded the detectors of some telescopes, leaving them with completely white pixels. However, the Chinese team was able to recover the line emission with higher significance over a wider range of timescale, confirming the line identified by a team from Italy [2cf4bb79].
The measured 37 MeV line is significant because it can help scientists measure the Doppler effect and determine that the gamma-ray burst ejecta was moving at least 99.98% the speed of light towards Earth. This finding provides valuable insights into the dynamics of gamma-ray bursts and the behavior of matter in extreme astrophysical environments [2cf4bb79].
This discovery adds to the growing body of knowledge about gamma-ray bursts and their origins. Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful explosions in the universe and occur in distant galaxies. They were first discovered in the late 1960s by U.S. military satellites [18ba9945].
In related news, a French-Chinese satellite called Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) was launched on June 22, 2024, to hunt for gamma-ray bursts in the universe. The satellite, developed by engineers from both countries, carries four instruments that will seek out gamma-ray bursts, which occur after the explosion of huge stars or the fusion of compact stars. The satellite successfully took off aboard a Chinese Long March 2-C rocket from a space base in Xichang, Sichuan province, China [4d8fbf3a].
SVOM has the potential to unravel several mysteries in the field of gamma-ray bursts, including detecting the most distant GRBs in the universe. The project is a result of a partnership between the French and Chinese space agencies and other scientific and technical groups from both nations. The collaboration between China and France in space exploration is significant as space cooperation at this level between the West and China is fairly uncommon [4d8fbf3a].
Once in orbit, the satellite will send its data back to observatories for analysis. Gamma-ray bursts are extremely brief, so scientists will have to gather information quickly once a burst is detected. The launch of SVOM follows previous collaborations between China and France, such as the joint launch of CFOSAT in 2018 and European participation in China's Chang'e lunar exploration program [4d8fbf3a].