Viscous Evolution of Magnetized Clumps: a Source for X-ray Flares in Gamma-ray Bursts

TL;DR

This paper extends a model of gamma-ray burst X-ray flares by incorporating magnetic effects, successfully matching observed light-curves and statistical properties, and suggesting magnetic barriers are less likely to control clump evolution.

Contribution

It introduces magnetic field effects into the viscous evolution model of GRB clumps, providing a more comprehensive framework that aligns with observational data.

Findings

Model reproduces observed flare light-curves and statistical properties.

Magnetic barrier is less probable as the main mechanism controlling clump evolution.

The model's predictions align with previous phenomenological estimates.

Abstract

X-ray flares can be accounted for a hint to the late time activity of Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) central engines. Such a long term activity has been described through some models, one of which is the viscous evolution of the outer disc fragments that proposed by Perna et al. (2006), and developed quantitatively by Dall Osso et al. (2017). Here, we reconstruct Dall Osso et al. (2017) framework through taking both small and large scale effects of magnetic field into account. To consider the magnetic barrier as a possible mechanism that might govern the accretion process of each magnetized clump, we make a simple pattern in boundary condition through which this mechanism might happen. Regarding various model parameters, we probe for their influence and proceed some key analogies between our model predictions and previous phenomenological estimates, for two different choices of boundary conditions (with and without a magnetic barrier). Our model is remarkably capable of matching flare bolometric and X-ray light-curves, as well as reproducing their statistical properties, such as the ratios between rise and decay time, width parameter and peak time, and the power-law correlation between peak luminosity and peak time. Combining our results with the conclusions of previous studies, we are led to interpret magnetic barrier as a less probable mechanism that might control the evolution of these clumps, especially the later created (or viscously evolved) ones.