A Relativistic Particle Outburst From The Soft Gamma-Ray Repeater SGR1900+14

Soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGR) are a class of high energy transients whose brief emissions are thought to arise from young and highly magnetized neutron stars. The exact cause for these outbursts and the nature of the energy loss remain unknown. Here we report the discovery of a fading radio source within the localization of the relatively under-studied SGR 1900+14. We argue that this radio source is a short-lived nebula powered by the particles ejected during the intense high energy activity in late August 1998, which included the spectacular gamma-ray burst of August 27. The radio observations allow us to constrain the energy released in the form of particles ejected during the burst, un-complicated by beaming effects. Furthermore, thanks to the astrometric precision of radio observations, we have finally localized this repeater to sub-arcsecond accuracy.