How may short-duration GRBs form? A review of progenitor theories

TL;DR

This review discusses various progenitor theories for short-duration gamma-ray bursts, emphasizing the potential role of double black hole mergers and related stellar evolution pathways, including gravitational wave associations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of progenitor models for short GRBs, highlighting the double black hole merger scenario and the chemically homogeneous channel.

Findings

Double black hole mergers could produce short GRBs with gravitational wave signals.

Low-metallicity dwarf galaxies are potential birthplaces for these GRBs.

The chemically homogeneous evolution pathway (TWUIN stars) is significant in progenitor formation.

Abstract

The origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is still a fascinating field of research nowadays. While we have been collecting more and more observationally constrained properties of GRB-physics, new theoretical results on the progenitor evolution (be it stellar or compact object) have also emerged. I review some of the most promising progenitor theories for forming a short-duration GRB. A special emphasis is put on the hypothetical case of forming a short-duration GRB through the double black hole merger scenario -- in which case we may expect to observe a gravitational wave emission too. The chemically homogeneous channel for forming a black hole binary is discussed, and the stellar progenitors (so called TWUIN stars) are introduced. The birth place of these short-duration GRBs with a gravitational wave counterpart may be low-metallicity, starforming dwarf galaxies.