Can comet clouds around neutron stars explain gamma-ray bursts?

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (49) References (40) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Can Comet Clouds around Neutron Stars Explain Gamma-Ray Bursts? Tremaine, S. ; Zytkow, A. N. Abstract The proposal of Harwit and Salpeter (1973) that gamma-ray bursts are due to impacts of comets onto neutron stars is examined further. It is assumed that most stars are formed with comet clouds similar to the Oort comet cloud which surrounds the sun, and it is suggested that there are at least four mechanisms by wich neutron stars may be formed while retaining their comet clouds: a spherically symmetric supernova explosion in an isolated star, accretion-induced collapse of a white dwarf in a cataclysmic variable with a very low mass secondary, accretion-induced collapse of a white dwarf in a wide binary with a low-mass giant companion, and coalescence of a close binary composed of two white dwarfs. Estimates are given of the cometary impact rates for such systems. It is suggested that if the wide binary scenario is correct, optical bursts may arise from the impact of comets onto the white dwarf remnant of the giant companion. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: February 1986 DOI: 10.1086/163883 Bibcode: 1986ApJ...301..155T Keywords: Binary Stars; Comets; Gamma Ray Bursts; Neutron Stars; Stellar Mass Accretion; White Dwarf Stars; Cataclysmic Variables; Gravitational Collapse; Oort Cloud; Space Density; Stellar Evolution; Supernovae; Astrophysics; COMETS; GAMMA RAYS: BURSTS; STARS: BINARIES; STARS: NEUTRON; STARS: WHITE DWARFS full text sources ADS |