Short GRB's: Neutron Star Merger Evidence?

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SUMMARY

Short Gamma-Ray Bursts (sGRBs) are strongly indicated to be caused by binary neutron star mergers based on several observational characteristics. Key evidence includes their origins from old stellar populations, larger separations from host galaxies, and matching time duration and energy content with binary neutron star systems. While indirect evidence supports this hypothesis, the definitive proof would be the coincident detection of gravitational waves from an sGRB source. Current models fail to match the properties of sGRBs as effectively as the binary neutron star merger model.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of short Gamma-Ray Bursts (sGRBs)
  • Familiarity with binary neutron star systems
  • Knowledge of gravitational wave detection techniques
  • Basic astrophysics concepts related to stellar populations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the characteristics of binary neutron star mergers
  • Study the methods of gravitational wave detection, particularly LIGO and Virgo
  • Explore the relationship between sGRBs and stellar population types
  • Investigate the statistical models used to estimate event rates of sGRBs
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Astronomers, astrophysicists, and researchers interested in the origins of short Gamma-Ray Bursts and the implications of neutron star mergers in cosmic events.

skydivephil
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Is there any actaul observational evidence that short burst GRB's are casued by neutron star mergers?
 
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There are numerous hints, and indirect pieces of evidence, but nothing conclusive. Binary neutron star mergers seem to perfectly match the properties of sGRBs, while no other models are able to---which is an indication in itself. Some of the relevant observations:

sGRBs come from old stellar populations without star formation (e.g. red ellipticals)
They have much larger separations from their host galaxies
The time duration and energy content matches expectations for binary neutron star systems
The observed and expected event rates are consistent (but the expectations have huge error bars)

The conclusive piece of evidence would be coincident detection of gravitationals waves from a sGRB source.
 
Thanks a lot for that , i was trying to find what thhe evidence was but couldn't really find anything cocnrete, much appreciated.
 
Happy to help
 

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