Work

Gamma-ray Burst Afterglow Plateaus and Gravitational Waves: Multi-messenger Signature of a Millisecond Magnetar?

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: The existence of a shallow decay phase in the early X-ray afterglows of gamma-ray bursts is a common feature. Here we investigate the possibility that this is connected to the formation of a highly magnetized millisecond pulsar, pumping energy into the fireball on timescales longer than the prompt emission. In this scenario, the nascent neutron star could undergo a secular bar-mode instability, leading to gravitational wave losses which would affect the neutron star spin-down. In this case, nearby gamma-ray bursts with isotropic energies of the order of 10 50 ergs would produce a detectable gravitational wave signal emitted in association with an observed X-ray light-curve plateau, over relatively long timescales of minutes to about an hour. The peak amplitude of the gravitational wave signal would be delayed with respect to the gamma-ray burst trigger, offering gravitational wave interferometers such as the advanced LIGO and Virgo the challenging possibility of catching its signature on the fly.

Source: The Astrophysical Journal

DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/702/2/1171

Authors: Alessandra Corsi, Peter Mészáros

Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma I, Sapienza University of Rome, National Institute for Astrophysics

Language: English

Topic: Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University

Awards: Physics of Cosmic Sources at TeV Energies, PETER MESZAROS / THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY"THE GAMMA-RAY BURST - SUPERNOVA CONNECTION: HIGH