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This page presents an AI-generated summary of a published research paper. The original authors did not write or review this article. [See full disclosure ↓]

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Collapsar model can match some kilonova-like bursts

Research area:AstrophysicsAstronomy and AstrophysicsAstronomy and Astrophysical Research

What the study found

The authors report that recent kilonova-like emission after long-duration gamma-ray bursts, including GRB 211211A and GRB 230307A, can be explained by a collapsar scenario rather than only by a merger of two neutron stars.

Why the authors say this matters

The study suggests that a red evolution in these transients does not necessarily mean heavy r-process elements are present. The authors conclude that their result challenges the prevailing interpretation of these observations.

What the researchers tested

The researchers compared the observations with a model based on nucleosynthesis from a collapsar scenario, which is the collapse of a massive star. They tested whether a single, weak r-process component could reproduce the observed optical and infrared light curves.

What worked and what didn't

The model was capable of reproducing the observed optical and infrared light curves. It also did not require lanthanide-rich material, and this absence was consistent with the data.

What to keep in mind

The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the specific comparison made here. The findings are presented as showing consistency with a collapsar model, not as excluding neutron-star mergers in general.

Key points

  • GRB 211211A and GRB 230307A were discussed as kilonova-like events after long-duration gamma-ray bursts.
  • The authors say the observations are also consistent with nucleosynthesis from a collapsar scenario.
  • A single, weak r-process component was enough to reproduce the observed optical and infrared light curves in their model.
  • The model did not include lanthanide-rich material, and the authors say this matched the data.
  • The authors state that a red evolution does not necessarily imply heavy r-process elements.

Disclosure

Research title:
Collapsar model can match some kilonova-like bursts
Authors:
Marko Ristić, Brandon L. Barker, Samuel Cupp, Axel Gross, Nicole Lloyd-Ronning, Oleg Korobkin, Jonah Miller, Matthew R. Mumpower
Institutions:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, FWRadiology
Publication date:
2026-04-27
DOI:
10.3847/2041-8213/ae5e53
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by OpenAI. The original authors did not write or review this post.

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