A Universal Central Engine Hypothesis for Short and Long GRBs

Abstract

It is noted that X-ray tails (XRTs) of short, hard $\gamma$-ray bursts (SHBs) are similar to X-ray flashes (XRFs). We suggest a universal central engine hypothesis, as a way of accounting for this curiosity, in which SHBs differ from long $\gamma$-ray bursts (GRBs) in prompt emission because of the differences in the host star and attendant differences in the environment they present to the compact central engine (as opposed to differences in the central engine itself). Observational constraints and implications are discussed, especially for confirming putative detections of gravitational waves from merging compact objects.

3 figures, one with two panels

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• Cloaked Gamma Ray Bursts
• Short GRBs Viewed from Far Off Axis
• Testing the Viewing Angle Hypothesis for Short GRB with LIGO events
• Wide Angle X-ray Sky Monitoring for Corroborating non-Electromagnetic Cosmic Transients