Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts : The Greatest Explosions Since the Big Bang

Since the dramatic discovery that the supernova SN1998bw coincided in position and time with a gamma-ray burst, the possibility was raised that these two types of spectacular explosions are related. This timely volume presents especially written articles by a host of world experts who gathered together for an international conference at the Space Telescope Science Institute. This was the first meeting in which the communities of supernova researchers and gamma-ray burst researchers were brought together to share ideas. The contributions review the mechanisms for these explosive events, the possible connections between them, and their relevance for cosmology. Both observations and theoretical developments are covered. This book is an invaluable source of information for both active researchers and graduate students in this exciting area of research.