The starburst-GRB connection

TL;DR

This paper explores the connection between starburst galaxies and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), estimating the local GRB rate based on star formation and supernova activity in starburst galaxies.

Contribution

It provides a catalog of local starburst galaxies and estimates the expected rate of GRBs from these galaxies, linking star formation, supernovae, and GRB occurrence.

Findings

Estimated 0.03 GRBs per year from local starburst galaxies.

GRB rate correlates with supernova rate and infrared output.

Potential for higher GRB detection due to catalog limitations.

Abstract

As starburst galaxies show a star formation rate up to several hundred times larger than the one in a typical galaxy, the expected supernova rate is higher than average. This in turn implies a high rate of long gamma ray bursts (GRBs), which are extreme supernova events. We present a catalog of 127 local starburst galaxies with redshifts of z<0.03. Using this catalog we investigate the possibility of detecting neutrinos from Gamma Ray Bursts from nearby starburst galaxies. We show that the rate of long GRBs is correlated to the supernova rate which in turn is correlated to the far infrared output. For the entire catalog, 0.03 GRB per year are expected to occur. The true number can even be higher since only the brightest sources were included in the catalog.