Gamma-Ray Bursts as Manifestation of Collisions of Primordial Black Holes with Stars

TL;DR

This paper proposes that some short gamma-ray bursts are caused by collisions between primordial black holes and stars, supported by data showing isotropic distribution and specific spectral features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel hypothesis linking primordial black hole collisions with stars to observed gamma-ray bursts, supported by analysis of BATSE data.

Findings

37 sources emit thermal bremsstrahlung-like radiation

GRBs are isotropically distributed up to 50 parsecs

Estimated PBH masses range from 0.001 to 0.03 solar masses

Abstract

Using the BATSE survey data I find that quite small fraction of GRBs numbering 37 sources seems to emit the radiation similar to thermal bremsstrahlung in the range 20 to 300 keV. I suggest that these bursts may perhaps occur from collision of stars with primordial black holes (PBH). These objects are relic of a hot matter in the early Universe. PBH in the vicinity of stars may be found in consequence of incorporation processes during the formation of stars from interstellar clouds. At present they can form the gravitationally captured haloes around stars like the family of solar comets. The comet paradigm has been used to understand various aspects of PBH. Comet collisions with the Sun and planets are ordinary events in solar system history. On the analogy, one can support the view that PBH collisions with the parent star may be quite frequent events in its history, too. PBHs are the engines driving gamma-ray bursts when collide with the stars. Entering a stellar atmosphere, PBH is supposed to produce the gamma-ray burst due to accretion with duration from a few tenths of second to a few seconds. It can exhibit the main qualitative features of some GRBs. Their masses are estimated in the range from thousandths to hundredths of the solar mass. I found that these burst sources are isotropically distributed on the sky and are seen from a distance up to 50 ps. In this context one may expect that some short GRBs are observable signatures of primordial black holes in the Universe.