Insights into Jetlike Structures from Binary Neutron Star Mergers

Recent research has revealed significant insights into the remnants of low-mass binary neutron star mergers, particularly regarding the formation of jetlike structures. The paper titled "Jetlike structures in low-mass binary neutron star merger remnants" by Jamie Bamber, Antonios Tsokaros, Milton Ruiz, and Stuart L. Shapiro explores the conditions under which these jets can form and their implications for understanding short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs).

The study highlights that the remnants of neutron star mergers can either collapse into a black hole or form a hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) or a supramassive neutron star (SMNS). The authors conducted general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations to analyze both irrotational and spinning equal-mass neutron star binaries. They found that both HMNS and SMNS remnants exhibited jetlike structures that could potentially lead to the formation of sGRBs.

In particular, the research indicates that the outflows from HMNS remnants are consistent with the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) mechanism, which is known to produce sGRB-compatible jets. However, the jets from SMNS remnants showed signs of inefficiency due to baryon pollution and mixing with surrounding debris, leading to the conclusion that they are unlikely to be progenitors of sGRBs.

This work not only enhances the understanding of the physical processes occurring during neutron star mergers but also contributes to the broader field of astrophysics by clarifying the conditions necessary for the formation of jets that are associated with some of the universe's most energetic events. The findings underscore the importance of studying these remnants to better grasp the mechanisms behind gamma-ray bursts and their origins in the cosmos.

For further details, the paper can be accessed at arXiv:2405.03705.