Origin of Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts are one of the most profound mysteries in current astronomy. Among the most energetic explosions in the universe, these bursts are bright flashes of enormous gamma-rays that appear suddenly in the sky and usually last only several to a few tens of seconds.These years, it has become clear that a special type of supernova may be linked to the occurrence of gamma-ray bursts. The Subaru Telescope has been making significant contributions in the quest to confirm the relationship between supernovae and gamma-ray bursts thorough spectroscopic and polarimetric observations of their optical counterparts.