A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B

It is generally believed that long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from the core collapse of rapidly spinning massive stars, and at least some of them are powered by hyperaccreting black holes (BHs). However, definite proofs about the progenitor and central engine of these GRBs have not b...

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Main Authors: H. Gao, W.-H. Lei, S. Xiao, Z.-P. Zhu, L. Lan, S.-K. Ai, A. Li, N. Xu, T.-C. Wang, B. Zhang, D. Xu, J. P. U. Fynbo, K. E. Heintz, P. Jakobsson, D. A. Kann, S.-Y. Fu, S.-Q. Jiang, X. Liu, S.-L. Xiong, W.-X. Peng, X.-B. Li, W.-C. Xue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc4e2
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author H. Gao
W.-H. Lei
S. Xiao
Z.-P. Zhu
L. Lan
S.-K. Ai
A. Li
N. Xu
T.-C. Wang
B. Zhang
D. Xu
J. P. U. Fynbo
K. E. Heintz
P. Jakobsson
D. A. Kann
S.-Y. Fu
S.-Q. Jiang
X. Liu
S.-L. Xiong
W.-X. Peng
X.-B. Li
W.-C. Xue
author_facet H. Gao
W.-H. Lei
S. Xiao
Z.-P. Zhu
L. Lan
S.-K. Ai
A. Li
N. Xu
T.-C. Wang
B. Zhang
D. Xu
J. P. U. Fynbo
K. E. Heintz
P. Jakobsson
D. A. Kann
S.-Y. Fu
S.-Q. Jiang
X. Liu
S.-L. Xiong
W.-X. Peng
X.-B. Li
W.-C. Xue
author_sort H. Gao
collection DOAJ
description It is generally believed that long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from the core collapse of rapidly spinning massive stars, and at least some of them are powered by hyperaccreting black holes (BHs). However, definite proofs about the progenitor and central engine of these GRBs have not been directly observed in the past. Here, we report the existence of a quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) signature with periodic frequency ∼0.02 Hz in the early X-ray afterglow phase of GRB 220711B. Such a low-frequency QPO likely signals the precession of a relativistic jet launched from a GRB hyperaccreting BH central engine. The energy injection signature from the late X-ray observations (from 5 × 10 ^2 s ∼ 1 × 10 ^4 s) is consistent with the precession hypothesis. The prompt gamma-ray light curve does not show any QPO signature, suggesting that the X-ray flaring emission in the early afterglow phase and prompt emission likely originate from different accretion processess, indicating that the progenitor stars of GRBs have a core-envelope structure with a stratified angular momentum distribution and the late-time accretion disk likely has a misalignment with respect to the rotation axis of the BH. Such a misalignment is not expected in a canonical collapsar model. As a result, the QPO signature in GRB 220711B may reveal a new formation channel of long GRBs, possibly a stellar-merger-induced core collapse, with the orbital angular momentum of the binary misaligned with the spin axis of the collapsing star.
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spelling doaj-art-36c93d0dde7a408a8f58fa0c1bef49502025-08-20T02:58:53ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198513310.3847/1538-4357/adc4e2A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711BH. Gao0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3100-6558W.-H. Lei1S. Xiao2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2957-2806Z.-P. Zhu3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9022-1928L. Lan4S.-K. Ai5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9165-8312A. Li6N. Xu7T.-C. Wang8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9332-5562B. Zhang9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9725-2524D. Xu10https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3257-9435J. P. U. Fynbo11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8149-8298K. E. Heintz12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9389-7413P. Jakobsson13D. A. Kann14https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2902-3583S.-Y. Fu15https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7730-3985S.-Q. Jiang16https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8155-7905X. Liu17S.-L. Xiong18https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4771-7653W.-X. Peng19X.-B. Li20https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4585-589XW.-C. Xue21https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8664-5085Institute for Frontier in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China ; gaohe@bnu.edu.cn; School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Astronomy, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of ChinaGuizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy and Data Processing, Guizhou Normal University , Guiyang 550001, People’s Republic of China; School of Physics and Electronic Science, Guizhou Normal University , Guiyang 550001, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Astronomy, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute for Frontier in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China ; gaohe@bnu.edu.cn; Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University , Wuhan 430072, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute for Frontier in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China ; gaohe@bnu.edu.cn; School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute for Frontier in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China ; gaohe@bnu.edu.cn; School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute for Frontier in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China ; gaohe@bnu.edu.cn; School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 100875, People’s Republic of ChinaNevada Center for Astrophysics, University of Nevada Las Vegas , NV 89154, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada Las Vegas , NV 89154, USAKey Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of ChinaThe Cosmic Dawn Centre (DAWN), Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen , Lyngbyvej 2, 2100, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe Cosmic Dawn Centre (DAWN), Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen , Lyngbyvej 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Astrophysics and Cosmology, Science Institute, University of Iceland , Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavík, IcelandCentre for Astrophysics and Cosmology, Science Institute, University of Iceland , Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavík, IcelandInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) , Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, 18008 Granada, SpainKey Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Cosmic Rays, Ministry of Education, Tibet University , Lhasa, Tibet 850000, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics , Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaIt is generally believed that long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from the core collapse of rapidly spinning massive stars, and at least some of them are powered by hyperaccreting black holes (BHs). However, definite proofs about the progenitor and central engine of these GRBs have not been directly observed in the past. Here, we report the existence of a quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) signature with periodic frequency ∼0.02 Hz in the early X-ray afterglow phase of GRB 220711B. Such a low-frequency QPO likely signals the precession of a relativistic jet launched from a GRB hyperaccreting BH central engine. The energy injection signature from the late X-ray observations (from 5 × 10 ^2 s ∼ 1 × 10 ^4 s) is consistent with the precession hypothesis. The prompt gamma-ray light curve does not show any QPO signature, suggesting that the X-ray flaring emission in the early afterglow phase and prompt emission likely originate from different accretion processess, indicating that the progenitor stars of GRBs have a core-envelope structure with a stratified angular momentum distribution and the late-time accretion disk likely has a misalignment with respect to the rotation axis of the BH. Such a misalignment is not expected in a canonical collapsar model. As a result, the QPO signature in GRB 220711B may reveal a new formation channel of long GRBs, possibly a stellar-merger-induced core collapse, with the orbital angular momentum of the binary misaligned with the spin axis of the collapsing star.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc4e2Gamma-ray bursts
spellingShingle H. Gao
W.-H. Lei
S. Xiao
Z.-P. Zhu
L. Lan
S.-K. Ai
A. Li
N. Xu
T.-C. Wang
B. Zhang
D. Xu
J. P. U. Fynbo
K. E. Heintz
P. Jakobsson
D. A. Kann
S.-Y. Fu
S.-Q. Jiang
X. Liu
S.-L. Xiong
W.-X. Peng
X.-B. Li
W.-C. Xue
A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
The Astrophysical Journal
Gamma-ray bursts
title A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
title_full A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
title_fullStr A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
title_full_unstemmed A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
title_short A 50 s Quasiperiodic Oscillation in the Early X-Ray Afterglow of GRB 220711B
title_sort 50 s quasiperiodic oscillation in the early x ray afterglow of grb 220711b
topic Gamma-ray bursts
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc4e2
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