paper

Jet collimation in the ejecta of double neutron star merger: new canonical picture of short gamma-ray bursts

arXiv:1403.0956 · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/784/2/L28

Abstract

The observations of jet breaks in the afterglows of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) indicate that the jet has a small opening angle of < 10°. The collimation mechanism of the jet is a longstanding theoretical problem. We numerically analyze the jet propagation in the material ejected by double neutron star merger, and demonstrate that if the ejecta mass is > 10^{-2} M_{sun}, the jet is well confined by the cocoon and emerges from the ejecta with the required collimation angle. Our results also suggest that there are some populations of choked (failed) SGRBs or low-luminous new types of event. By constructing a model for SGRB 130603B, which is associated with the first kilonova/macronova can- didate, we infer that the equation-of-state of neutron stars would be soft enough to provide sufficient ejecta to collimate the jet, if this event was associated with a double neutron star merger.

6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

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