Gamma-ray burst GRB 211211A may have been the result of a neutron star merger at ≈350 Mpc. However, none of the LIGO–Virgo detectors were operating at the time. We show that the gravitational-wave signal from a GRB 211211A-like binary neutron star inspiral in the next LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA observing run (O4) would be below the conventional detection threshold, however a coincident gamma-ray burst observation would provide necessary information to claim a statistically significant multimessenger observation. We calculate that with O4 sensitivity, approximately $11{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of gamma-ray bursts within 600 Mpc will produce a confident association between the gravitational-wave binary neutron star inspiral signature and the prompt gamma-ray signature. This corresponds to a coincident detection rate of $0.22^{+8.3}_{-0.22}\,\mathrm{yr^{-1}}$, where the uncertainties are the 90 per cent confidence intervals arising from uncertainties in the absolute merger rate, beaming and jet-launching fractions. These increase to approximately $34{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $0.71^{+26.8}_{-0.70}\,\mathrm{yr^{-1}}$ with proposed O5 sensitivity. We show that the above numbers do not depend significantly on the number of gravitational-wave observatories operating with the specific sensitivity. That is, the number of confident joint gamma-ray burst and gravitational-wave detections is only marginally improved with two or three detectors operating compared to a single detector. It is therefore worth considering whether one detector with sufficient sensitivity (post O4) should remain in sky-watch mode at all times to elucidate the true nature of GRB 211211A-like events, a proposal we discuss in detail.
Accreting neutron stars (NS) can exhibit high frequency modulations in their lightcurves during thermonuclear X-ray bursts, known as burst oscillations. These frequencies can be offset from the NS spin frequency by several Hz (where known independently) and can drift by 1–3 Hz. One plausible explanation is that a wave is present in the bursting ocean, the rotating frame frequency of which is the offset. The frequency of the wave should decrease (in the rotating frame) as the burst cools hence explaining the drift. A strong candidate is a buoyant r-mode. To date, models that calculated the frequency of this mode taking into account the radial structure neglected relativistic effects and predicted rotating frame frequencies of ∼4 Hz and frequency drifts of >5 Hz; too large to be consistent with observations. We present a calculation that includes frame-dragging and gravitational redshift that reduces the rotating frame frequency by up to $30 \, {\rm per\, cent}$ and frequency drift by up to $20 \, {\rm per\, cent}$. Updating previous models for the ocean cooling in the aftermath of the burst to a model more representative of detailed calculations of thermonuclear X-ray bursts reduces the frequency of the mode still further. This model, combined with relativistic effects, can reduce the rotating frequency of the mode to ∼2 Hz and frequency drift to ∼2 Hz, which is closer to the observed values.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10128802
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 491
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 6032-6044
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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