Collapsing supra-massive magnetars: FRBs, the repeating FRB121102 and GRBs

TL;DR

This paper proposes that fast radio bursts, including the repeating FRB 121102, originate from the gravitational collapse of supra-massive neutron stars into black holes or quark stars, linking FRBs with supernovae and gamma-ray bursts.

Contribution

It introduces a collapse-based model for FRBs, especially the repeating FRB 121102, and suggests a unified progenitor scenario for FRBs and long GRBs involving specific remnant kick velocities.

Findings

FRB 121102 can be explained by collapse into a Kerr black hole or strange quark star.

Proposes a common progenitor scenario for FRBs and long GRBs based on supernova kick velocities.

Predicts gravitational wave and neutrino emissions during supernova and collapse events.

Abstract

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) last for $\sim $ few milli-seconds and, hence, are likely to arise from the gravitational collapse of supra-massive, spinning neutron stars after they lose the centrifugal support (Falcke \& Rezzolla 2014). In this paper, we provide arguments to show that the repeating burst, FRB 121102, can also be modeled in the collapse framework provided the supra-massive object implodes either into a Kerr black hole surrounded by highly magnetized plasma or into a strange quark star. Since the estimated rates of FRBs and SN Ib/c are comparable, we put forward a common progenitor scenario for FRBs and long GRBs in which only those compact remnants entail prompt $\gamma $-emission whose kick velocities are almost aligned or anti-aligned with the stellar spin axes. In such a scenario, emission of detectable gravitational radiation and, possibly, of neutrinos are expected to occur during the SN Ib/c explosion as well as, later, at the time of magnetar implosion.