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Abstract We present nucleosynthesis and light-curve predictions for a new site of the rapid neutron capture process (r-process) from magnetar giant flares (GFs). Motivated by observations indicating baryon ejecta from GFs, J. Cehula et al. proposed that mass ejection occurs after a shock is driven into the magnetar crust during the GF. We confirm using nuclear reaction network calculations that these ejecta synthesize moderate yields of third-peakr-process nuclei and more substantial yields of lighterr-nuclei, while leaving a sizable abundance of free neutrons in the outermost fastest expanding ejecta layers. The finalr-process mass fraction and distribution are sensitive to the relative efficiencies ofα-capture andn-capture freeze-outs. We use our nucleosynthesis output in a semianalytic model to predict the light curves of novae breves, the transients following GFs powered by radioactive decay. For a baryonic ejecta mass similar to that inferred of the 2004 Galactic GF from SGR 1806-20, we predict a peak UV/optical luminosity of ∼10³⁹–10⁴⁰erg s⁻¹at ∼10–15 minutes, rendering such events potentially detectable to several Mpc following a gamma-ray trigger by wide-field transient monitors such as ULTRASAT/UVEX. The peak luminosity and timescale of the transient increase with the GF strength due to the larger ejecta mass. Although GFs likely contribute 1%–10% of the total Galacticr-process budget, their short delay-times relative to star formation make them an attractive source to enrich the earliest generations of stars. 

Abstract We expand the theoretical framework by O. Gottlieb et al., which connects binary merger populations with long and short binary gamma-ray bursts (lbGRBs and sbGRBs, respectively), incorporating kilonovae (KNe) as a key diagnostic tool. We show that lbGRBs, powered by massive accretion disks around black holes (BHs), should be accompanied by bright, red KNe. In contrast, sbGRBs—if also powered by BHs—would produce fainter, red KNe, potentially biasing against their detection. However, magnetized hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) remnants that precede BH formation can produce jets with power (P_NS ≈ 10⁵¹erg s⁻¹) and Lorentz factor (Γ > 10) likely compatible with sbGRB observations, and would result in distinctly bluer KNe, offering a pathway to identifying the sbGRB central engine. Recent modeling by J. C. Rastinejad et al. found luminous red KNe consistently accompany lbGRBs, supporting their origin in BH-massive disk systems, likely following a short-lived HMNS phase. The preferential association of sbGRBs with comparably luminous KNe argues against the BH engine hypothesis for sbGRBs, while the bluer hue of these KNe provides additional support for an HMNS-driven mechanism. Within this framework, BH–NS mergers likely contribute exclusively to the lbGRB population with red KNe. Our findings suggest that GW170817 may, in fact, have been an lbGRB to on-axis observers. Finally, we discuss major challenges faced by alternative lbGRB progenitor models, such as white dwarf–NS or white dwarf–BH mergers and accretion-induced collapse forming magnetars, which fail to align with observed GRB timescales, energies, and KN properties. 

Abstract Collapsars—rapidly rotating stellar cores that form black holes—can power gamma-ray bursts and are proposed to be key contributors to the production of heavy elements in the Universe via the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). Previous neutrino-transport collapsar simulations have been unable to unbind neutron-rich material from the disk. However, these simulations have not included sufficiently strong magnetic fields and the black hole (BH), both of which are essential for launching mass outflows. We presentνh-amr, a novel neutrino-transport general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (νGRMHD) code, which we use to perform the first 3D globalνGRMHD collapsar simulations. We find a self-consistent formation of a weakly magnetized dense accretion disk, which has sufficient time to neutronize. Eventually, substantial magnetic flux accumulates near the BH, becomes dynamically important, leads to a magnetically arrested disk (MAD), and unbinds some of the neutron-rich material. However, the strong flux also hinders accretion, lowers density, and increases neutrino-cooling timescale, which prevents further disk neutronization. Typical collapsar progenitors with mass accretion rates, $\dot{M}\sim 0.1-1M_{\odot }{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, do not produce significant neutron-rich (Y_e < 0.25) ejecta. However, we find that MADs at higher mass accretion rates, $\dot{M}\gtrsim \text{few}{M}_{\odot }{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$(e.g., for more centrally concentrated progenitors), can unbindM_ej ≲ M_⊙of neutron-rich ejecta. The outflows inflate a shocked cocoon that mixes with the infalling neutron-poor stellar gas and raises the final outflowY_e; however, the finalr-process yield may be determined earlier at the point of neutron capture freeze-out. Future work will explore under what conditions more typical collapsar engines becomer-process factories. 

Abstract The origin of heavy elements synthesized through the rapid neutron capture process (r-process) has been an enduring mystery for over half a century. J. Cehula et al. recently showed that magnetar giant flares, among the brightest transients ever observed, can shock heat and eject neutron star crustal material at high velocity, achieving the requisite conditions for anr-process. A. Patel et al. confirmed anr-process in these ejecta using detailed nucleosynthesis calculations. Radioactive decay of the freshly synthesized nuclei releases a forest of gamma-ray lines, Doppler broadened by the high ejecta velocitiesv ≳ 0.1cinto a quasi-continuous spectrum peaking around 1 MeV. Here, we show that the predicted emission properties (light curve, fluence, and spectrum) match a previously unexplained hard gamma-ray signal seen in the aftermath of the famous 2004 December giant flare from the magnetar SGR 1806–20. This MeV emission component, rising to peak around 10 minutes after the initial spike before decaying away over the next few hours, is direct observational evidence for the synthesis of ∼10⁻⁶M_⊙ofr-process elements. The discovery of magnetar giant flares as confirmedr-process sites, contributing at least ∼1%–10% of the total Galactic abundances, has implications for the Galactic chemical evolution, especially at the earliest epochs probed by low-metallicity stars. It also implicates magnetars as potentially dominant sources of heavy cosmic rays. Characterization of ther-process emission from giant flares by resolving decay line features offers a compelling science case for NASA’s forthcoming COSI nuclear spectrometer, as well as next-generation MeV telescope missions. 

Abstract Although Cherenkov detectors of high-energy neutrinos in ice and water are often optimized to detect teraelectronvolt–petaelectronvolt neutrinos, they may also be sensitive to transient neutrino sources in the 1–100 GeV energy range. A wide variety of transient sources have been predicted to emit gigaelectronvolt neutrinos. In light of the upcoming IceCube Upgrade, which will extend the IceCube detector’s sensitivity down to a few gigaelectronvolts, as well as improve its angular resolution, we survey a variety of transient-source models and compare their predicted neutrino fluences to detector sensitivities, in particular those of IceCube-DeepCore and the IceCube Upgrade. We consider ranges of neutrino fluence from transients powered by nonrelativistic shocks, such as novae, supernovae, fast blue optical transients, and tidal disruption events. We also consider fast radio bursts and relativistic outflows of high- and low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts. Our study sheds light on the prospects of observing gigaelectronvolt transients with existing and upcoming neutrino facilities. 

Abstract Some hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernovae (SNeIIP) exhibit evidence of a sustained energy source powering their light curves, resulting in a brighter and/or longer-lasting hydrogen recombination plateau phase. We present a semi-analytic SNIIP light-curve model that accounts for the effects of an arbitrary internal heating source, considering as special cases⁵⁶Ni/⁵⁶Co decay, a central engine (magnetar or accreting compact object), and shock interaction with a dense circumstellar disk. While a sustained internal power source can boost the plateau luminosity commensurate with the magnitude of the power, the duration of the recombination plateau can typically be increased by at most a factor of ∼2–3 compared to the zero-heating case. For a given ejecta mass and initial kinetic energy, the longest plateau duration is achieved for a constant heating rate at the highest magnitude that does not appreciably accelerate the ejecta. This finding has implications for the minimum ejecta mass required to explain particularly long-lasting SNe, such as iPTF14hls, and for confidently identifying rare explosions of the most massive hydrogen-rich (e.g., Population III) stars. We present a number of analytic estimates that elucidate the key features of the detailed model. 

Abstract Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) radiate ≳10–100 times more energy than ordinary stellar explosions, implicating a novel power source behind these enigmatic events. One frequently discussed source, particularly for hydrogen-poor (Type I) SLSNe, is a central engine such as a millisecond magnetar or accreting black hole. Both black hole and magnetar engines are expected to channel a fraction of their luminosity into a collimated relativistic jet. Using 3D relativistic hydrodynamical simulations, we explore the interaction of a relativistic jet, endowed with a luminosityL_j≈ 10^45.5erg s⁻¹and durationt_eng≈ 10 days compatible with those needed to power SLSNe, launched into the envelope of the exploding star. The jet successfully breaks through the expanding ejecta, and its shocked cocoon powers ultraviolet/optical emission lasting several days after the explosion and reaching a peak luminosity ≳10⁴⁴erg s⁻¹, corresponding to a sizable fraction ofL_j. This high radiative efficiency is the result of the modest adiabatic losses the cocoon experiences owing to the low optical depths of the enlarged ejecta at these late times, e.g., compared to the more compact stars in gamma-ray bursts. The luminosity and temperature of the cocoon emission match those of the “bumps” in SLSN light curves observed weeks prior to the optical maximum in many SLSNe. Confirmation of jet breakout signatures by future observations (e.g., days-long to weeks-long internal X-ray emission from the jet for on-axis observers, spectroscopy confirming large photosphere velocitiesv/c≳ 0.1, or detection of a radio afterglow) would offer strong evidence for central engines powering SLSNe. 

Abstract Relativistic jets from a Kerr black hole (BH) following the core collapse of a massive star (“collapsar”) is a leading model for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). However, the two key ingredients for a Blandford–Znajek-powered jet—rapid rotation and a strong magnetic field—seem mutually exclusive. Strong fields in the progenitor star’s core transport angular momentum outward more quickly, slowing down the core before collapse. Through innovative multidisciplinary modeling, we first use MESA stellar evolution models followed to core collapse to explicitly show that the small length scale of the instabilities—likely responsible for angular momentum transport in the core (e.g., Tayler–Spruit)—results in a lownetmagnetic flux fed to the BH horizon, far too small to power GRB jets. Instead, we propose a novel scenario in which collapsar BHs acquire their magnetic “hair” from their progenitor proto–neutron star (PNS), which is likely highly magnetized from an internal dynamo. We evaluate the conditions for the BH accretion disk to pin the PNS magnetosphere to its horizon immediately after the collapse. Our results show that the PNS spin-down energy released before collapse matches the kinetic energy of Type Ic-BL supernovae, while the nascent BH’s spin and magnetic flux produce jets consistent with observed GRB characteristics. We map our MESA models to 3D general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations and confirm that accretion disks confine the strong magnetic flux initiated near a rotating BH, enabling the launch of successful GRB jets, whereas a slower-spinning BH or one without a disk fails to do so. 

Abstract “Quasiperiodic eruptions” (QPE) are recurrent nuclear transients with periods of several hours to almost a day, which thus far have been detected exclusively in the X-ray band. We have shown that many of the key properties of QPE flares (period, luminosity, duration, emission temperature, alternating long-short recurrence time behavior, and source rates) are naturally reproduced by a scenario involving twice-per-orbit collisions between a solar-type star on a mildly eccentric orbit, likely brought into the nucleus as an extreme mass-ratio inspiral (EMRI), and the gaseous accretion disk of a supermassive black hole (SMBH). The flare is generated by the hot shocked debris expanding outwards from either side of the disk midplane, akin to dual miniature supernovae. Here, we consider the conditions necessary for disk–star collisions to generate lower-temperature flares that peak in the ultraviolet (UV) instead of the X-ray band. We identify a region of parameter space at low SMBH massM_•∼ 10^5.5M_⊙and QPE periodsP≳ 10 hr for which the predicted flares are sufficiently luminousL_UV∼ 10⁴¹erg s⁻¹to outshine the quiescent disk emission at these wavelengths. The prospects to discover such “UV QPEs” with future satellite missions such as ULTRASAT and Ultraviolet Explorer depend on the prevalence of very low-mass SMBHs and the occurrence rate of stellar EMRIs onto them. For gaseous disks produced by the tidal disruption of stars, we predict that X-ray QPEs will eventually shut off, only to later reappear as UV QPEs as the accretion rate continues to drop. 

Abstract Hypernebulae are inflated by accretion-powered winds accompanying hyper-Eddington mass transfer from an evolved post-main-sequence star onto a black hole or neutron star companion. The ions accelerated at the termination shock—where the collimated fast disk winds and/or jet collide with the slower, wide-angled wind-fed shell—can generate high-energy neutrinos via hadronic proton–proton reactions, and photohadronic (pγ) interactions with the disk thermal and Comptonized nonthermal background photons. It has been suggested that some fast radio bursts (FRBs) may be powered by such short-lived jetted hyper-accreting engines. Although neutrino emission associated with the millisecond duration bursts themselves is challenging to detect, the persistent radio counterparts of some FRB sources—if associated with hypernebulae—could contribute to the high-energy neutrino diffuse background flux. If the hypernebula birth rate follows that of stellar-merger transients and common envelope events, we find that their volume-integrated neutrino emission—depending on the population-averaged mass-transfer rates—could explain up to ∼25% of the high-energy diffuse neutrino flux observed by the IceCube Observatory and the Baikal Gigaton Volume Detector Telescope. The time-averaged neutrino spectrum from hypernebula—depending on the population parameters—can also reproduce the observed diffuse neutrino spectrum. The neutrino emission could in some cases furthermore extend to >100 PeV, detectable by future ultra-high-energy neutrino observatories. The large optical depth through the nebula to Breit–Wheeler (γγ) interaction attenuates the escape of GeV–PeV gamma rays coproduced with the neutrinos, rendering these gamma-ray-faint neutrino sources, consistent with the Fermi observations of the isotropic gamma-ray background.