# Explaining the light curves of Gamma-ray Bursts with a precessing jet

## 1 Introduction

Gamma-ray bursts are observed with a large variety in duration, ranging from seconds to minutes (Norris et al. 1996), intensity and variability. The shortest temporal structures are unresolved by detectors and reflect the activity of a highly variable inner engine (Fenimore et al. 1996). On the other hand some bursts last for several minutes which indicates that the energy generation within the burst region has a rather long time scale.

In the proposed model a neutron star transfers mass to a black hole with a mass of 2.2 to 5.5 $`\mathrm{M}_{}`$. A strong magnetic field is anchored in the disc, threads the black hole and taps its rotation energy via the Blandford-Znajek (1977) mechanism. Gamma-rays are emitted in a narrow beam. The luminosity distribution within the beam is given by the details of the Blandford-Znajek process. Precession of the inner part of the accretion disc causes the bean to sweep through space. This results in repeated pulses or flashes for an observer at a distant planet.

This model was proposed by Portegies Zwart et al. (1999, hereafter PZLL) to explain the complex temporal structure of gamma-ray bursts.

## 2 The Gamma-ray binary

We start with a close binary where a low-mass black hole is accompanied by the helium star. The configuration results from the spiral-in of a compact object in a giant, the progenitor of the helium star (see Portegies Zwart 1998, hereafter PZ).

The collapse of the helium core results in the formation of a neutron star. The sudden mass loss in the supernova and the velocity kick imparted to the neutron star may dissociate the binary. If the system remains bound a neutron star – black hole binary is formed.

The separation between the two compact stars decreases due to gravitational wave radiation (see \[Peters & Mathews 1963\]). At an orbital separation of a few tens of kilometers the neutron star fills its Roche-lobe and starts to transfer mass to the black hole. Mass transfer from the neutron star to the black hole is driven by the emission of gravitational waves but can be stabilized by the redistribution of mass in the binary system. If the mass of the black hole $`\stackrel{<}{}2.2`$$`\mathrm{M}_{}`$ coalescence follows within a few orbital revolutions owing the Darwin-Riemann instability (\[Clark et al. 1977\]). If the mass of the black hole $`\stackrel{>}{}5.5`$$`\mathrm{M}_{}`$ the binary is gravitationally unstable (\[Lattimer & Schram 1976\]); the event horizon of the hole is then larger than than the orbital separation. Only in the small mass ranger from $`2.2`$$`\mathrm{M}_{}`$ to $`5.5`$$`\mathrm{M}_{}`$ stable mass transfer is possible (see PZ).

The entire episode of mass transfer lasts for several seconds up to minutes. Mass transfer becomes unstable if the neutron star starts to expand rapidly as soon as its mass drops below the stability limit of $`0.1`$$`\mathrm{M}_{}`$. Initially the neutron star’s material falls in the black hole almost radially but at a later stage an accretion disc can be formed (see PZ for details).

## 3 The precessing jet

The asymmetry in the supernova, in which the neutron star is formed, causes the angular momentum axis of the binary to make an angle $`\nu `$ with the spin axis of the black hole. This misalignment causes the accretion disc around the black hole to precess (see Larwood 1998).

The magnetic field of the black hole is anchored in the disc. Energy can then be extracted from the black hole by slowing down its rotation via the magnetic field which exert torque on the induced current on the black hole horizon (Blandford & Znajek 1977; Thorne et al. 1986). The radiation is liberated in a narrow beam with an opening angle of $`\stackrel{<}{}6^{}`$ (Fendt 1997). Such a narrow beaming is supported by the results of the ROTSE (Robotical Optical Transient Search Experiment) telescope (see http://www.umich.edu/rotse/ for more details). Since the magnetic field is anchored in the disc the radiation cone precesses with the same amplitude and period as the accretion disc.

The intrinsic time variation of a single gamma-ray burst has a short rise time followed by a linear decay (Fenimore 1997). We construct the burst time profile from three components: an exponential rise, a plateau phase and a stiff decay (see PZLL for details). Rapid variations within this timespan are caused by the precession and nutation of the radiation beam. This results in a model with eight free parameters; three timescales for the profile of the burst, the precession and nutation periods, the precession angle and the direction (two angles) from which the observer looks at the burst.

Figure 1 gives the result of fitting the model to the gamma-ray burst with BATSE trigger number 1609 in the energy channel between 115 keV and 320 keV. The fit was performed by minimizing the $`\chi ^2`$ with simulated annealing (see PZLL). The light curves computed with this model shows similar complexities and variability as observed gamma-ray bursts (see Fig. 1).

* I am grateful to Gerry Brown, Chang-Hwan Lee, Hyun Kyu Lee and Jun Makino for a great time, numerous discussions and financial support.