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M. Boettcher (Rice University), C. D. Dermer (NRL)
We use a new method of analysis to determine parameters of cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) assuming that their distribution follows the star-formation history of the universe. Spectral evolution is calculated from the fireball/blast wave model, and used to evaluate the observed peak flux, duration, and \nu F\nu peak energy for a GRB source occuring at a given redshift and with given values of total energy, baryon-loading and environmental parameters. We then fit model distributions of GRB sources to the observed peak-flux size distribution, duration and \nu F\nu peak energy distributions. Consistency of the assumption that the GRB source distribution traces the star formation history is checked. Implications for parameters and source models of GRBs are discussed.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mboett@spacsun.rice.edu