A search for pulsations from the compact object of GRB 060218

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential to directly observe the compact objects formed in gamma-ray bursts, focusing on early pulsations from GRB 060218 and exploring techniques for detecting such objects in the local universe.

Contribution

It presents a search for early pulsations from the GCO of GRB 060218 and discusses alternative detection methods for GCOs in the local universe.

Findings

No definitive pulsations detected from GRB 060218's GCO.

Proposes observational strategies for future GCO detection.

Highlights the challenges in observing post-explosion GCOs.

Abstract

A fraction of massive stars are expected to collapse into compact objects (accreting black holes or rapidly rotating neutron stars) that successfully produce gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We examine the possibility of directly observing these gamma-ray burst compact objects (GCOs) using post-explosion observations of past and future GRB sites. In particular, we present a search for early pulsations from the nearby (z=0.0335) gamma-ray burst GRB 060218, which exhibited features possibly consistent with a rapidly spinning neutron star as its underlying GCO. We also consider alternative techniques that could potentially achieve a detection of GCOs either in the Local Volume or near the plane of our own Galaxy.