During 2016 and 2017 the POLAR instrument detected a total 55 GRBs. It performed polarization measurements for a subset of these and the first results of this will soon be published to add to the first set of GRB polarization measurements performed by GAP earlier this decade. During this workshop the new POLAR results will be presented in detail while results of ongoing analysis projects will also be presented. This workshop serves to discus these new results, together with previous polarization measurements, in light of the different existing emission models.
The goal of the workshop is to produce a clear overview of the different existing theoretical predictions in the field and to discus these in light of these new results. The outcome of the discussions is foreseen to be part of an overview paper which will be organized during this workshop. A second goal is to define the most urgent open tasks within this upcoming field of astrophysics. Such tasks do not only concern theoretical work but also data analysis and hardware projects.
The workshop will take place in Geneva and will be attended by both experts in the field of GRB emission theory, general GRB experts and members of the POLAR collaboration.
A total of 15 participants from outside of Switzerland are invited and funding is available for both travel and accommodation for these participants. Additionally there is place for several other researchers from the field of GRB astrophysics who can contact the organizers in case they're interested in joining the meeting, the total number of participants is limited to 30.
The following topics will be covered:
- Recent GRB polarization measurements by GAP and POLAR
- Recent GRB afterglow polarization measurements
- Theoretical predictions of the polarization of GRB prompt and afterglow emission
- Implications of new measurement results on existing predictions
- Upcoming polarization results using existing data
- Focus of future theoretical work
- Focus of future analysis/measurements
