M. Kovacevic

On binary-driven hypernovae and their nested late X-ray emission

Context: The induced gravitational collapse (IGC) paradigm addresses the very energetic (10^{52}-10^{54}erg) long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated to supernovae (SNe). Unlike the traditional collapsar model, an evolved FeCO core with a companion neutron star (NS) in a tight binary system is considered as the progenitor. This special class of sources, here named binary driven hypernovae (BdHNe), presents a composite sequence composed of four different episodes [...]. Aims: We first compare and contrast the steep decay, the plateau and the power-law decay of the X-ray luminosities of three selected BdHNe [...]. Second, to explain the different sizes and Lorentz factors of the emitting regions of the four Episodes, [...]. Finally, we show the possible role of r-process, which originates in the binary system of the progenitor.. Methods: We compare and contrast the late X-ray luminosity of the above three BdHNe. We examine correlations between the time at the starting point of the constant late power-law decay, t^*_a, the average prompt luminosity, , and the luminosity at the end of the plateau, L_a. We analyze a thermal emission (~0.97-0.29 keV), observed during the X-ray steep decay phase of GRB 090618. Results: The late X-ray luminosities of the three BdHNe [...] show a precisely constrained nested structure [...]. Conclusions: We confirm a constant slope power-law behavior for the late X-ray luminosity in the source rest-frame, which may lead to a new distance indicator for BdHNe. These results, as well as the emitter size and Lorentz factor, appear to be inconsistent with the traditional afterglow model based on synchrotron emission from an ultra-relativistic [...] collimated jet outflow. We argue, instead, for the possible role of r-process, originating in the binary system, to power the mildly relativistic X-ray source.The induced gravitational collapse (IGC) paradigm addresses energetic (1052-1054 erg), long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated to supernovae (SNe) and proposes as their progenitors tight binary systems composed of an evolved FeCO core and a companion neutron star (NS). Their emission is characterized by four specific episodes: Episode 1, corresponding to the on-set of the FeCO SN explosion and the accretion of the ejecta onto the companion NS; Episode 2, related the collapse of the companionNS to a black hole (BH) and to the emission of a long GRB; Episode 3, observed in X-rays and characterized by a steep decay, a plateau phase and a late power-law decay; Episode 4, corresponding to the optical SN emission due to the 56Ni decay. We focus on Episode 3 and we show that, from the thermal component observed during the steep decay of the prototype GRB 090618, the emission region has a typical dimension of ~1013 cm, which is inconsistent with the typical size of the emitting region of GRBs, e.g., ~1016 cm. We propose, therefore, that the X-ray afterglow emission originates from a spherically symmetric SN ejecta expanding at G ˜ 2 or, possibly, from the accretion onto the newly formed black hole, and we name these systems “binary driven hypernovae” (BdHNe). This interpretation is alternative to the traditional afterglow model based on the GRB synchrotron emission from a collimated jet outflow, expanding at ultra-relativistic Lorentz factor of G ~ 102-103 and originating from the collapse of a single object. We show then that the rest-frame energy band 0.3-10 keV X-ray luminosities of three selected BdHNe, GRB 060729, GRB 061121, and GRB 130427A, evidence a precisely constrained “nested” structure and satisfy precise scaling laws between the average prompt luminosity, 〈Liso〉, and the luminosity at the end of the plateau, La, as functions of the time at the end of the plateau. All these features extend the applicability of the “cosmic candle” nature of Episode 3. The relevance of r-process in fulfilling the demanding scaling laws and the nested structure are indicated.

GRB 130427A and SN 2013cq: A Multi-wavelength Analysis of An Induced Gravitational Collapse Event

We performed a data analysis of the observations by the Swift, NuStar, and Fermi satellites in order to probe the induced gravitational collapse (IGC) paradigm for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated with supernovae (SNe) in the terra incognita of GRB 130427A. We compare our data analysis with those in the literature. We have verified that GRB 130427A conforms to the IGC paradigm by examining the power law behavior of the luminosity in the early 104 s of the XRT observations. This has led to the identification of the four different episodes of the binary driven hypernovae (BdHNe) and to the prediction, on 2013 May 2, of the occurrence of SN 2013cq, which was also observed in the optical band on 2013 May 13. The exceptional quality of the data has allowed the identification of novel features in Episode 3 including: (1) the confirmation and the extension of the existence of the recently discovered nested structure in the late X-ray luminosity in GRB 130427A, as well as the identification of a spiky structure at 102 s in the cosmological rest-frame of the source; (2) a power law emission of the GeV luminosity light curve and its onset at the end of Episode 2; and (3) different Lorentz Γ factors for the emitting regions of the X-ray and GeV emissions in this Episode 3. These results make it possible to test the details of the physical and astrophysical regimes at work in the BdHNe: (1) a newly born neutron star and the supernova ejecta, originating in Episode 1; (2) a newly formed black hole originating in Episode 2; and (3) the possible interaction among these components, observable in the standard features of Episode 3.

On the classification of GRBs and their occurrence rates

There is mounting evidence for the binary nature of the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). For a long GRB, the induced gravitational collapse (IGC) paradigm proposes as progenitor, or in-state, a tight binary system composed of a carbon-oxygen core (CO

GRB 140619B: a short GRB from a binary neutron star merger leading to black hole formation

_{core}

Induced gravitational collapse at extreme cosmological distances: the case of GRB 090423

) undergoing a supernova (SN) explosion which triggers hypercritical accretion onto a neutron star (NS) companion. For a short GRB, a NS-NS merger is traditionally adopted as the progenitor. We divide long and short GRBs into two sub-classes, depending on whether or not a black hole (BH) is formed in the merger or in the hypercritical accretion process exceeding the NS critical mass. For long bursts, when no BH is formed we have the sub-class of X-ray flashes (XRFs), with isotropic energy

GRB 090510: A GENUINE SHORT GRB FROM A BINARY NEUTRON STAR COALESCING INTO A KERR–NEWMAN BLACK HOLE

E_{iso}lesssim10^{52}

Early X-ray Flares in GRBs

erg and rest-frame spectral peak energy

On the universal late X-ray emission of binary-driven hypernovae and its possible collimation

E_{p,i}lesssim200

On binary driven hypernovae and their nested late X-ray emission

keV. When a BH is formed we have the sub-class of binary-driven hypernovae (BdHNe), with

The binary systems associated with short and long gamma-ray bursts and their detectability

E_{iso}gtrsim10^{52}