How Gravitational-wave Observations Can Shape the Gamma-ray Burst Paradigm

TL;DR

Gravitational wave observations are poised to significantly enhance our understanding of gamma-ray bursts by revealing their central engines, formation channels, and enabling multimessenger astronomy, especially with upcoming advanced detectors.

Contribution

This paper reviews how gravitational wave data can improve gamma-ray burst models, focusing on detection strategies and multimessenger approaches, highlighting new prospects with advanced detectors.

Findings

GW data constrains gamma-ray burst central engines

Advanced detectors will detect off-axis and hidden events

Multimessenger observations enhance scientific insights

Abstract

By reaching through shrouding blastwaves, efficiently discovering off-axis events, and probing the central engine at work, gravitational wave (GW) observations will soon revolutionize the study of gamma-ray bursts. Already, analyses of GW data targeting gamma-ray bursts have helped constrain the central engines of selected events. Advanced GW detectors with significantly improved sensitivities are under construction. After outlining the GW emission mechanisms from gamma-ray burst progenitors (binary coalescences, stellar core collapses, magnetars, and others) that may be detectable with advanced detectors, we review how GWs will improve our understanding of gamma-ray burst central engines, their astrophysical formation channels, and the prospects and methods for different search strategies. We place special emphasis on multimessenger searches. To achieve the most scientific benefit, GW, electromagnetic, and neutrino observations should be combined to provide greater discriminating power and science reach.