2010/04/12 by R. Salvaterra, B. Devecchi, M. Colpi +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Afterglow #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Coalescence (physics) #Galaxy #Gamma-ray burst #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Globular cluster #LIGO #Observable #Offset (computer science) #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16752.x
5 pages, 3 figures, MNRAS in press
arxiv created 2010/04/12 · openalex publication_date 2010/05/01 · arxiv updated 2015/05/18 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) are expected to form from the coalescence of compact binaries, either from primordial origin or from dynamical interactions in globular clusters. In this paper, we investigate the possibility that the offset and afterglow brightness of an SGRB can help in revealing the origin of its progenitor binary. We find that an SGRB is likely to result from the primordial channel if it is observed within 10 kpc from the centre of a massive galaxy and shows a detectable afterglow. The same conclusion holds if it is 100 kpc away from a small, isolated galaxy and shows a weak afterglow. On the other hand, a dynamical origin is suggested for those SGRBs with observable afterglow either at a large separation from a massive, isolated galaxy or with an offset of 10–100 kpc from a small, isolated galaxy. We discuss the possibility that SGRBs from the dynamical channel are hosted in intracluster globular clusters and find that GRB 061201 may fall within this scenario.