Cosmic rays and gamma-ray bursts

The nature of cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), still unsettled 30 years after their discovery, is the most intriguing current astrophysical problem. In a recent Physics-Uspekhi review [1], a theory relating their origin to the Solar system periphery, as well as galactic and metagalactic hypotheses are discussed. For the latter two, the total GRB energy release proves to be large enough to enable cosmic rays (CRs) to be simultaneously produced by the same source. In this paper a fourth possibility, the present author's 'interstellar' hypothesis [3], which also permits the simultaneous production of CRs and GRBs in cosmic plasma pinches is discussed .