From: steinly@topaz.ucsc.edu (Steinn Sigurdsson)
Subject: Re: Gamma Ray Bursters. WHere are they.
Organization: Lick Observatory/UCO
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	<1993Apr27.132255.12653@tpl68k0.tplrd.tpl.oz.au>
	<STEINLY.93Apr27121443@topaz.ucsc.edu>
	<ETHANB.93Apr28135146@ptolemy.astro.washington.edu>
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In-reply-to: ethanb@ptolemy.astro.washington.edu's message of 28 Apr 93 21:51:46 GMT

In article <ETHANB.93Apr28135146@ptolemy.astro.washington.edu> ethanb@ptolemy.astro.washington.edu (Ethan Bradford) writes:

   In article <STEINLY.93Apr27121443@topaz.ucsc.edu> steinly@topaz.ucsc.edu (Steinn Sigurdsson) writes:

      _The_ problem with Oort cloud sources is that absolutely
      no plausible mechanism has been proposed. It would have
      to involve new physics as far as I can tell. Closest to
      "conventional" Oort sources is a model of B-field pinching
      by comets, it's got too many holes in it to count, but at
      least it was a good try...

   So you have a plausible model for GRB's at astronomical distances?

I don't have any plausible models for GRBs at any distances ;-)

   Recent observations have just about ruled out the merging neutron star
   hypothesis, which had a lot of problems, anyhow.  We have to look for
   implausible models and what is fundamentally allowed independent of
   models.

Hmm, the "superbowl" burst has been claimed in press releases
to cast doubt on the merging NS hypothesis, from what I've read
(and I haven't seen the papers, only the press) I'd say it is
consistent with some of the merging NS models

   A paper on the possibility of GRB's in the Oort cloud just came
   through the astrophysics abstract service.  To get a copy of this

   Here is the abstract of that paper.

 ...
      indicator to these events all possible sources which are
      isotropically distributed should remain under consideration. This is
      why the Oort cloud of comets is kept on the list,
      although there is no known mechanism for generating \GRBs
      from cometary nuclei. Unlikely as it may seem, the possibility that \GRBs
      originate in the solar cometary cloud
      cannot be excluded until it is disproved.

This does not propose a _mechanism_ for GRBs in the Oort (and, no,
anti-matter annihilation does not fit the spectra at least as far
as I understand annihilation spectra...). Big difference.
That's ignoring the question of how you fit a distribution
to the Oort distribution when the Oort distribution is not well
known - in particular comet aphelia (which are not well known)
are not a good measure of the Oort cloud distribution...


*  Steinn Sigurdsson   			Lick Observatory      	*
*  steinly@lick.ucsc.edu		"standard disclaimer"  	*
*  The laws of gravity are very,very strict			*
*  And you're just bending them for your own benefit - B.B. 1988*
