Short GRBs: opening angles, local neutron star merger rate and off-axis events for GRB/GW association


Abstract in English

The jet breaks in the afterglow lightcurves of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs), rarely detected so far, are crucial for estimating the half-opening angles of the ejecta ($theta_{rm j}$) and hence the neutron star merger rate. In this work we report the detection of jet decline behaviors in GRB 150424A and GRB 160821B and find $theta_{rm j}sim 0.1$ rad. Together with five events reported before 2015 and other three identified recently (GRB 050709, GRB 060614 and GRB 140903A), we have a sample consisting of nine SGRBs and one long-short GRB with reasonably estimated $theta_{rm j}$. In particular, three {it Swift} bursts in the sample have redshifts $zleq 0.2$, with which we estimate the local neutron star merger rate density {to be $sim 1109^{+1432}_{-657}~{rm Gpc^{-3}~yr^{-1}}$ or $162^{+140}_{-83} {rm Gpc^{-3}yr^{-1}}$ if the narrowly-beamed GRB 061201 is excluded}. Inspired by the typical $theta_{rm j}sim 0.1$ rad found currently, we further investigate whether the off-beam GRBs (in the uniform jet model) or the off-axis events (in the structured jet model) can significantly enhance the GRB/GW association or not. For the former the enhancement is at most moderate, while for the latter the enhancement can be much greater and a high GRB/GW association probability of $sim 10%$ is possible. We also show that the data of GRB 160821B may contain a macronova/kilonova emission component with a temperature of $sim 3100$ K at $sim 3.6$ days after the burst and more data are needed to ultimately clarify.

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