Gamma-ray Bursts, Classified Physically

TL;DR

This paper discusses the growing diversity of gamma-ray burst sources and proposes a new, physically based classification scheme to better understand their underlying physics, complementing existing phenomenological classifications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel classification framework for gamma-ray bursts grounded in physical origins, addressing limitations of traditional phenomenological methods.

Findings

Traditional classifications are insufficient for diverse GRB sources

A new physical classification scheme is proposed

The scheme aims to improve understanding of GRB physics

Abstract

From Galactic binary sources, to extragalactic magnetized neutron stars, to long-duration GRBs without associated supernovae, the types of sources we now believe capable of producing bursts of gamma-rays continues to grow apace. With this emergent diversity comes the recognition that the traditional (and newly formulated) high-energy observables used for identifying sub-classes does not provide an adequate one-to-one mapping to progenitors. The popular classification of some > 100 sec duration GRBs as ``short bursts'' is not only an unpalatable retronym and syntactically oxymoronic but highlights the difficultly of using what was once a purely phenomenological classification to encode our understanding of the physics that gives rise to the events. Here we propose a physically based classification scheme designed to coexist with the phenomenological system already in place and argue for its utility and necessity.