Astrophysics / Physics / Relativity / etc.

Simulating Gamma Ray Bursts

It was the mid 1960s. The United States and the Soviet Union had recently signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which forbid the detonation of nuclear weapons except underground. Since neither nation trusted the other, each was carefully monitoring the other for non-compliance. In particular, the United States feared that the soviets might be, I kid you not, testing bombs behind the moon. Vela The United States solved this problem with the Vela satellites. When a nuclear bomb goes off, it emits a short burst of gamma rays, which are rays of extremely high energy light. The Vela