LVK S241125n: Massive Binary Black Hole Merger Produces Gamma Ray Burst in Active Galactic Nucleus Disk

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theoretical model where a binary black hole merger within an active galactic nucleus disk produces a gamma-ray burst, explaining observed multi-messenger signals and spectral features associated with the GW event S241125n.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model linking BBH mergers in AGN disks to gamma-ray bursts and explains spectral observations, advancing understanding of multi-messenger astrophysics.

Findings

The model predicts a soft photon spectrum from shock breakout.

High column density in AGN disks causes X-ray absorption and dust extinction.

The scenario accounts for the lack of optical counterparts.

Abstract

Recently, the gravitational-wave (GW) event S241125n, detected by LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA (LVK), has been reported to coincide with a candidate detected by Swift-BAT/GUANO and an X-ray candidate found by FXT onboard of Einstein Probe (EP) and confirmed by Swift-XRT. We estimate that the joint false alarm rate (FAR) for the three candidates is 1 / 30 yr and that the corresponding false alarm probability (FAP) is $\mathrm{FAP}_{\rm triple} = 0.037$ ($1.8 \sigma$). The coincidence between the GW and GRB could be an interesting test of their origin and open attractive opportunities for multi-messenger observations, if they are actually associated. Motivated by this, we propose a theoretical model in which a binary black hole (BBH) merger occurs within an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk. The typically massive and significantly kicked merger remnant accretes disk material at hyper-Eddington rates, and the resulting jet could lead to the GRB associated with the GW event. As the jet interacts with the gas in the AGN disk, the shock breakout produces a Comptonized spectrum, consistent with an unusually soft photon index of the GRB prompt emission observed by Swift-BAT following LVK S241125n. Meanwhile, strong absorption and dust extinction of the afterglow by the high column density typical of AGN disks could explain the unusually hard spectrum observed in the X-ray band by EP, as well as the non-detection of an optical counterpart. Our model is predictive, and we highlight the importance of further constraining the orbital eccentricity of the merger and conducting deep-field observations of the host galaxy to test our explanation.