Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries
We present a new mechanism for the ejection of a common envelope in a massive binary, where the energy source is nuclear energy rather than orbital energy. This can occur during the slow merger of a massive primary with a secondary of 1-3 Msun when the primary has already completed helium core burni...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Published: |
2010
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| _version_ | 1797093540872847360 |
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| author | Podsiadlowski, P Ivanova, N Justham, S Rappaport, S |
| author_facet | Podsiadlowski, P Ivanova, N Justham, S Rappaport, S |
| author_sort | Podsiadlowski, P |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | We present a new mechanism for the ejection of a common envelope in a massive binary, where the energy source is nuclear energy rather than orbital energy. This can occur during the slow merger of a massive primary with a secondary of 1-3 Msun when the primary has already completed helium core burning. We show that, in the final merging phase, hydrogen-rich material from the secondary can be injected into the helium-burning shell of the primary. This leads to a nuclear runaway and the explosive ejection of both the hydrogen and the helium layer, producing a close binary containing a CO star and a low-mass companion. We argue that this presents a viable scenario to produce short-period black-hole binaries and long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs). We estimate a LGRB rate of about 1.e-6 per year at solar metallicity, which implies that this may account for a significant fraction of all LGRBs, and that this rate should be higher at lower metallicity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:01:59Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:c4e53de3-7865-42ff-ad7d-378baa199a3f |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:01:59Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:c4e53de3-7865-42ff-ad7d-378baa199a3f2022-03-27T06:26:58ZExplosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts and Low-Mass Black-Hole BinariesJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:c4e53de3-7865-42ff-ad7d-378baa199a3fSymplectic Elements at Oxford2010Podsiadlowski, PIvanova, NJustham, SRappaport, SWe present a new mechanism for the ejection of a common envelope in a massive binary, where the energy source is nuclear energy rather than orbital energy. This can occur during the slow merger of a massive primary with a secondary of 1-3 Msun when the primary has already completed helium core burning. We show that, in the final merging phase, hydrogen-rich material from the secondary can be injected into the helium-burning shell of the primary. This leads to a nuclear runaway and the explosive ejection of both the hydrogen and the helium layer, producing a close binary containing a CO star and a low-mass companion. We argue that this presents a viable scenario to produce short-period black-hole binaries and long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs). We estimate a LGRB rate of about 1.e-6 per year at solar metallicity, which implies that this may account for a significant fraction of all LGRBs, and that this rate should be higher at lower metallicity. |
| spellingShingle | Podsiadlowski, P Ivanova, N Justham, S Rappaport, S Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title | Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts
and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title_full | Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts
and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title_fullStr | Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts
and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts
and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title_short | Explosive Common-Envelope Ejection: Implications for Gamma-Ray Bursts
and Low-Mass Black-Hole Binaries |
| title_sort | explosive common envelope ejection implications for gamma ray bursts and low mass black hole binaries |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT podsiadlowskip explosivecommonenvelopeejectionimplicationsforgammarayburstsandlowmassblackholebinaries AT ivanovan explosivecommonenvelopeejectionimplicationsforgammarayburstsandlowmassblackholebinaries AT justhams explosivecommonenvelopeejectionimplicationsforgammarayburstsandlowmassblackholebinaries AT rappaports explosivecommonenvelopeejectionimplicationsforgammarayburstsandlowmassblackholebinaries |