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R. D. Blandford (Caltech)
Gamma ray bursts are most commonly associated with the formation or augmentation of a black hole. The energy released is generally adequate to account for the observed fluences even if bursts are isotropic. The problem is to convert this gravitational energy into observable form. In this talk I will describe one general class of models in which the energy release is electromagnetic. Electromagnetic stress can tap the energy associated with differential rotation in a surrounding disk, the relative kinetic energy between the kinetic energy and the hole and the spin energy of the hole alone. The principles involved in tapping these distinct energy sources will be described. Similarities with and differences from Galactic X-ray transient sources and active galactic nuclei will be briefly described.