The detection of discrete X-ray spectral features during the afterglows of
gamma-ray burst is an important and difficult measurement, which will
undoubtedly provide indispensable clues to help us understand the physical
nature of the burst progenitor star. Several interesting cases have been
reported, but the reality of the detections as well as their
identifications and interpretations remain rather controversial. I will
give a brief review the current status of X-ray emission line detections in
GRB afterglows, some of the existing models, and the prospects for
detecting them with present and future observatories.v
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