Gamma-ray burst precursors from tidally resonant neutron star oceans: potential implications for GRB 211211A

Sullivan, Andrew G; Alves, Lucas M B; Márka, Zsuzsa; Bartos, Imre; Márka, Szabolcs

doi:10.1093/mnras/stad3572

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 113 publications

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“…Interestingly, the strong magnetic field of the magnetar can naturally lead to the prolonged duration of GRB 211211A, which is otherwise difficult to explain. Meanwhile, more theoretical discussions have been proposed to interpret the observation features of this peculiar precursor (Suvorov et al 2022;Zhang et al 2022;Sullivan et al 2024).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Peculiar Precursor of a Gamma-Ray Burst from a Binary Merger Involving a Magnetar

Xiao,

Zhang,

Zhu

et al. 2024

ApJ

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The milestone discovery of GW170817-GRB 170817A-AT 2017gfo has shown that gravitational waves (GWs) could be produced during the merger of a neutron star–neutron star/black hole and that in electromagnetic (EM) waves, a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and a kilonova (KN) are generated in sequence after the merger. Observationally, however, EM properties before the merger phase are still unclear. Here we report a peculiar precursor in a KN-associated long-duration GRB 211211A, providing evidence of the EM before the merger. This precursor lasts ∼0.2 s, and the waiting time between the precursor and the main burst is ∼1 s, comparable to that between GW170817 and GRB 170817A. The spectrum of the precursor could be well fit with a nonthermal cutoff power-law model instead of a blackbody. In particular, a ∼22 Hz quasiperiodic oscillation candidate (∼3σ) is detected in the precursor. These temporal and spectral properties indicate that this precursor is probably produced by a catastrophic flare accompanied with magnetoelastic or crustal oscillations of a magnetar in a binary compact merger. The strong magnetic field of the magnetar can also account for the prolonged duration of GRB 211211A. However, it poses a challenge to reconcile the rather short lifetime of a magnetar with the rather long spiraling time of a binary neutron star system only by the GW radiation before the merger.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Peculiar Precursor of a Gamma-Ray Burst from a Binary Merger Involving a Magnetar

Xiao,

Zhang,

Zhu

et al. 2024

ApJ

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Strengthening nuclear symmetry energy constraints using multiple resonant shattering flares of neutron stars with realistic mass uncertainties

Neill,

Tsang,

Newton

2024

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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With current and planned gravitational-wave (GW) observing runs, coincident multimessenger timing of resonant shattering flares (RSFs) and GWs may soon allow for neutron star (NS) asteroseismology to be used to constrain the nuclear symmetry energy, an important property of fundamental nuclear physics that influences the composition and equation of state of NSs. In this work, we examine the effects of combining multiple RSF detections on these symmetry energy constraints, and consider how realistic uncertainties in the masses of the progenitor NSs may weaken them. We show that the detection of subsequent multimessenger events has the potential to substantially improve constraints beyond those obtained from the first, and that this improvement is insensitive to the mass of the NSs that produce the RSFs and its uncertainty. This sets these asteroseismic constraints apart from bulk NS properties such as radius, for which the NS mass is highly important, meaning that any multimessenger RSF and GW events can equally improve our knowledge of fundamental physics.

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Premerger Phenomena in Neutron Star Binary Coalescences

Suvorov,

Kuan,

Kokkotas

2024

Universe

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A variety of high-energy events can take place in the seconds leading up to a binary neutron star merger. Mechanisms involving tidal resonances, electrodynamic interactions, or shocks in mass-loaded wakes have been proposed as instigators of these precursors. With a view of gravitational-wave and multimessenger astrophysics, more broadly, premerger observations and theory are reviewed, emphasising how gamma-ray precursors and dynamical tides can constrain the neutron-star equation of state, thermodynamic microphysics, and evolutionary pathways. Connections to post-merger phenomena, notably gamma-ray bursts, are discussed together with how magnetic fields, spin and misalignment, crustal elasticity, and stratification gradients impact observables.

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Gamma-ray burst precursors from tidally resonant neutron star oceans: potential implications for GRB 211211A

Cited by 4 publications

References 113 publications

The Peculiar Precursor of a Gamma-Ray Burst from a Binary Merger Involving a Magnetar

The Peculiar Precursor of a Gamma-Ray Burst from a Binary Merger Involving a Magnetar

Strengthening nuclear symmetry energy constraints using multiple resonant shattering flares of neutron stars with realistic mass uncertainties

Premerger Phenomena in Neutron Star Binary Coalescences

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