GRB emission in Neutron Star transitions

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel neutron star transition mechanism for short gamma-ray burst emission, involving dark matter accretion and potential quark star formation, offering an alternative to binary merger models.

Contribution

It introduces a new model for GRB emission based on neutron star transitions triggered by dark matter, differing from traditional binary merger explanations.

Findings

Energy release can produce GRBs with observed energies.

Ejected crust can reach Lorentz factors suitable for gamma-ray emission.

Dark matter self-annihilation may trigger neutron star to quark star conversion.

Abstract

In this contribution we briefly introduce a mechanism for short gamma ray burst emission different from the usually assumed compact object binary merger progenitor model. It is based on the energy release in the central regions of neutron stars. This energy injection may be due to internal self-annihilation of dark matter gravitationally accreted from the galactic halo. We explain how this effect may trigger its full or partial conversion into a quark star and, in such a case, induce a gamma ray burst with isotropic equivalent energies in agreement with those measured experimentally. Additionally, we show how the ejection of the outer crust in such events may be accelerated enough to produce Lorentz factors over those required for gamma ray emission.