Gamma-Ray Bursts and Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

Abstract

The current status of gamma-ray burst astronomy is reviewed briefly, with emphasis on experiments which might determine the burster distance scale. Recent observations by the EGRET experiment aboard the Compton Observatory, indicating the presence of delayed, high energy emission, are summarized. It is shown that searches for TeV emission from burst sources are feasible, and may be fruitful. Detection of such emission might resolve the question of whether burst sources are at cosmological distances.