The Peculiar Precursor of a Gamma-Ray Burst from a Binary Merger Involving a Magnetar

• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad4ee1
• Publication Date: 2024-07-11T10:09:24Z
• Authors: Shuo Xiao; Yan-Qiu Zhang; Zi-Pei Zhu; Shao-Lin Xiong; He Gao; Dong Xu; Shuang-Nan Zhang; Wen-Xi Peng; Xiao-Bo Li; Peng Zhang; Fang-Jun Lu; Lin Lin; Liang-Duan Liu; Zhen Zhang; Ming-Yu Ge; You-Li Tuo; Wang-Chen Xue; Shao-Yu Fu; Xing Liu; Jin-Zhong Liu; An Li; Tian-Cong Wang; Chao Zheng; Yue Wang; Shuai-Qing Jiang; Jin-Da Li; Jia-Cong Liu; Zhou-Jian Cao; Xi-hong Luo; Jiao-jiao Yang; Shu-Xu Yi; Xi-Lu Wang; Ce Cai; Qi-Bin Yi; Yi Zhao; Sheng-Lun Xie; Cheng-Kui Li; Qi Luo; Li-Ming Song; Shu Zhang; Jin-Lu Qu; Cong-Zhan Liu; Xu-Fang Li; Yu-Peng Xu; Ti-Pei Li
• Keywords: Magnetar

Abstract The milestone discovery of GW170817-GRB 170817A-AT 2017gfo has shown that gravitational waves (GWs) could be produced during the merger a neutron star–neutron star/black hole and in electromagnetic (EM) waves, gamma-ray burst (GRB) kilonova (KN) are generated sequence after merger. Observationally, however, EM properties before phase still unclear. Here we report peculiar precursor KN-associated long-duration GRB 211211A, providing evidence This lasts ∼0.2 s, waiting time between main is ∼1 comparable to GW170817 170817A. spectrum well fit with nonthermal cutoff power-law model instead blackbody. In particular, ∼22 Hz quasiperiodic oscillation candidate (∼3 σ ) detected precursor. These temporal spectral indicate this probably by catastrophic flare accompanied magnetoelastic or crustal oscillations magnetar binary compact strong magnetic field can also account for prolonged duration 211211A. However, it poses challenge reconcile rather short lifetime long spiraling star system only GW radiation