Gamma-ray Bursts Induced by Turbulent Reconnection

TL;DR

This paper presents a model where turbulence-induced magnetic reconnection in astrophysical jets leads to gamma-ray bursts, emphasizing a self-sustaining process that efficiently converts magnetic energy into high-energy radiation.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified model linking turbulent reconnection in jets to gamma-ray bursts, highlighting a bootstrap mechanism that enhances reconnection without microphysical constraints.

Findings

Reconnection driven by kink instabilities causes turbulence in jets.

Turbulence accelerates magnetic reconnection, producing bursts.

Magnetic energy is efficiently converted into gamma-ray emission.

Abstract

We consider a simple model for gamma-ray bursts induced by magnetic reconnection in turbulent media. The magnetic field in a jet is subject to kink instabilities, which distort the regular structure of the spiral magnetic field, drive turbulence, and trigger reconnection. The resulting reconnection takes place in a high Reynolds number medium, where turbulence is further enhanced and in turn accelerates the reconnection process. This boot-strap reconnection gives rise to bursts of reconnection events, through which the free energy of magnetic field is transformed into a gamma-ray burst. The efficiency of magnetic reconnection and magnetic energy dissipation is not constrained by microphysical properties of plasmas.