Evidence for a strong 19.5 Hz flux oscillation in Swift BAT and Fermi GBM gamma-ray data from GRB 211211A

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of a significant 19.5 Hz flux oscillation in gamma-ray data from GRB 211211A, suggesting potential neutron star or black hole merger signatures.

Contribution

The study provides the first evidence of a strong 19.5 Hz flux oscillation in GRB 211211A, expanding understanding of gamma-ray burst timing features.

Findings

Detection of a 19.5 Hz flux oscillation with high significance

Oscillation has higher fractional amplitude at higher energies

Oscillation observed in a specific 0.2-second segment after burst start

Abstract

The gamma-ray burst (GRB) GRB~211211A is believed to have occurred due to the merger of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole, despite its duration of more than a minute. Subsequent analysis has revealed numerous interesting properties including the possible presence of a $\sim 22$~Hz quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) during precursor emission. Here we perform timing analysis of Fermi and Swift gamma-ray data on GRB~211211A and, although we do not find a strong QPO during the precursor, we do find an extremely significant 19.5~Hz flux oscillation, which has higher fractional amplitude at higher energies, in a $\sim 0.2$~second segment beginning $\sim 1.6$~seconds after the start of the burst. After presenting our analysis we discuss possible mechanisms for the oscillation.