HELIUM IN NATAL H II REGIONS: THE ORIGIN OF THE X-RAY ABSORPTION IN GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOWS
HELIUM IN NATAL H II REGIONS: THE ORIGIN OF THE X-RAY ABSORPTION IN GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOWS
Soft X-ray absorption in excess of Galactic is observed in the afterglows of most gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), but the correct solution to its origin has not been arrived at after more than a decade of work, preventing its use as a powerful diagnostic tool. We resolve this long-standing problem and …