Abstract
Abstract Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) may be powered by the rotational energy of a millisecond magnetar. I argue that the GRB-driving magnetars lie at the high end of the distribution of magnetic field strengths of magnetars. The field of GRB magnetars decays on time-scale of hundreds of years and can power soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR)-like flares up to ∼100 times more powerful than the 2004 event of SGR 1806–20. A few of these flares per year may have been observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) and classified as short-duration GRBs. Association of one of these superflares with a nearby dL≲ 250 Mpc galaxy and the discovery of a, coincident in space, 100-yr-old GRB afterglow (observed in the radio) will be the characteristic signature of the magnetar model for GRBs.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
