On the Induced Gravitational Collapse of a Neutron Star to a Black Hole by a Type Ib/c Supernova

TL;DR

This paper proposes that in close binary systems, a supernova can induce a neutron star to collapse into a black hole rapidly, explaining the temporal coincidence of gamma-ray bursts with Type Ib/c supernovae.

Contribution

It introduces a model where accretion from a supernova onto a neutron star causes rapid collapse, linking supernovae and gamma-ray bursts through induced gravitational collapse.

Findings

Neutron star can reach critical mass within seconds due to supernova accretion.

Collapse of neutron star to black hole can produce gamma-ray bursts.

Explicit formula for accreted mass based on binary parameters.

Abstract

It is understood that the Supernovae (SNe) associated to Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are of type Ib/c. The temporal coincidence of the GRB and the SN represents still a major enigma of Relativistic Astrophysics. We elaborate here, from the earlier paradigm, that the concept of induced gravitational collapse is essential to explain the GRB-SN connection. The specific case of a close (orbital period <1 h) binary system composed of an evolved star with a Neutron Star (NS) companion is considered. We evaluate the accretion rate onto the NS of the material expelled from the explosion of the core progenitor as a type Ib/c SN, and give the explicit expression of the accreted mass as a function of the nature of the components and binary parameters. We show that the NS can reach, in a few seconds, the critical mass and consequently gravitationally collapses to a Black Hole. This gravitational collapse process leads to the emission of the GRB.