# A Possible Origin of Gamma Ray Bursts and Axionic Boson Stars

## Abstract

We indicate a possible mechanism of generating gamma ray bursts. They are generated by a collision between an axionic boson star and a neutron star. The axionic boson star can dissipates its whole energy $`10^{50}`$ erg in the magnetized conducting medium of the neutron star. This dissipation arises only around envelope of the neutron star so that a fire ball with small baryon contamination is expected. We have evaluated roughly a rate of the collision per year and per galaxy which is consistent with observations, under plausible assumptions. We also point out that cosmic rays with extremely high energy, $`10^{21}`$eV, can be produced in the similar collisions with the neutron stars with strong magnetic fields $`10^{14}`$G.

preprint: Nisho-99/2    
One of the most fascinating problems in astrophysics is the mechanism leading to the gamma ray bursts ( GRB ). It is found that GRB can be understood well with the use of the fire ball models; a relativistic expanding shell originating from the source interacts with the intergalactic matter and GRB is produced with the interactions. However, we make clear the mechanism generating the fire ball. Common understanding is that a merger of two compact stars, e.g. neutron stars or black holes, is the origin of the fire ball. Especially a merger of two neutron stars is a plausible candidate. But up to now, there is no satisfactory mechanisms generating the fire balls with few contamination of baryons.

In this letter we wish to propose a mechanism of generating GBR. The axionic boson stars ( ABS ), which are ones of plausible candidates of the dark matters, collide with neutron stars and dissipate their energies under strong magnetic fields of the neutron stars. As a result, the whole energy of the axionic boson star is radiated very rapidly. Since the dissipation occurs in magnetospheres and around envelopes of the neutron star, the contamination problem of baryons can be cured. Furthermore, rate of such collisions is estimated roughly as $`10^610^7`$ per year in a galaxy under plausible assumptions about number of neutron stars in the galaxy, e.t.c.. This rate is consistent with observations. A significant problem in this mechanism is that the maximal energy released is restricted as mass, $`M_a`$, of ABS itself; the mass is given by $`10^5M_{}/m_510^{49}/m_5`$ erg where $`m_5`$ denotes $`m_a/10^5`$eV with mass $`m_a`$ of the axion. Since the mass of the axion is restricted observationally such as $`m_a>10^6`$eV, the maximal energy $`E_m`$ released in the collision must satisfy an upper bound such as $`E_m<10^{50}`$erg. This fact contradicts with a recent observation of GRB with the energy output up to $`10^{54}`$erg, which is estimated with assumption of no beaming. Since the beaming can occur in our model because of the presence of the strong magnetic field, we expect that this energy problem may be cured.

First we explain briefly the axion and the axionic boson star. The axion is the Goldstone boson associated with Peccei-Quinn symmetry, which was introduced to solve naturally the strong CP problem. The symmetry is broken at the energy scale of $`f_{PQ}>10^{10}`$GeV. The resultant axion is described with a real scalar field, $`a(x)`$. In the early Universe some of the axions condense and form topological objects, i.e. strings and domain walls, although they decay below the temperature of QCD phase transition. It have been shown numerically that although these local objects decay, axion clumps are formed around the period of $`1`$ GeV owing to both the nonlinearity of an axion potential leading to an attractive force among the axions and the inhomogeneity of coherent axion oscillations on the scale beyond the horizon. The axion clumps contract gravitationally to axionic boson stars after separating out from the cosmological expansion. They are solitons of coherent axions bounded gravitationally. They are described as stable solutions of the axion field coupled with gravity.

It has been shown that such solutions exist and a critical mass of ABS is given by $`m_{pl}^2/m_a`$; $`m_{pl}`$ is the Planck mass. Quite similar results on the critical mass have been obtained for the boson stars of the complex scalar field; the critical mass implies the maximal mass of the boson stars, with masses beyond which the stable solutions do not exit. This is the same notion as the critical mass of the neutron stars. Thus it is reasonable to suppose that as an order of magnitude, a typical mass of ABS present in the Universe is given roughly by the critical mass, $`m_{pl}^2/m_a10^5M_{}/m_510^{49}/m_5`$ erg. The solution can be approximated in the explicit form such as

$$a=f_{PQ}a_0\mathrm{sin}(m_at)\mathrm{exp}(r/R_a),$$
(1)   
where $`t`$ ( $`r`$ ) is time ( radial ) coordinate and $`f_{PQ}`$ is the decay constant of the axion. The value of $`f_{PQ}`$ is constrained from cosmological and astrophysical considerations such as $`10^{10}`$GeV $`<f_{PQ}<`$ $`10^{13}`$GeV. $`R_a`$ represents a radius of ABS which has been obtained numerically in terms of the mass $`M_a`$ of ABS,

$$R_a=6.4\frac{m_{pl}^2}{m_a^2M_a},$$
(2)   
in the limit of infinitely large radius. In the similar limit the amplitude $`a_0`$ of the axion field is given by

$$a_0=1.73\times 10^6\frac{(10\text{cm})^2}{R_a^2}\frac{10^5\text{eV}}{m_a}.$$
(3)   
Numerical solutions obtained without taking the limit possess other oscillation modes, but their amplitudes are much smaller than this one eq(3). Similarly, the almost same relation as one in eq(2) between $`R_a`$ and $`M_a`$ can be obtained without taking the limit. Thus we use the formulae in rough evaluation of the energy released per unit time in the collision between ABS and the neutron star. There are several physical parameters poorly known about the neutron stars so that the only evaluations of the order of the magnitude are meaningful.

We note that ABSs oscillate with the frequency of $`m_a/2\pi =2.4\times 10^9m_5`$ Hz. and that the radius $`R_a`$ of ABS is given by $`16m_5^2M_5^1`$cm where $`M_5`$ denotes $`M_a/10^5M_{}`$.

Up to now these solutions of ABSs have been found in the axion field equation only with approximating a cosine potential of the axion with a mass term. It seems that the treatment is inconsistent in the case of the large amplitude $`a_010^6/m_5`$. But we can see that the effect of the potential term, $`m_a^2f_{PQ}^2\mathrm{cos}(a/f_{PQ})`$, is negligible compared with other terms, e.g. $`(a)^2R_a^2f_{PQ}^2a_0^2m_a^2f_{PQ}^2a_0^2`$ in the case of the large amplitude $`a_01`$ ( $`R_am_a^1`$ in the case of our concerns ). Thus the solution in eq(1) may be used as approximate one even in the equation including the cosine potential of the axion.

We now proceed to explain that ABS generates an electric field in an magnetic field of the neutron star and consequently dissipates its energy in a conducting medium. The point is that the axion couples with the electromagnetic fields in the following way,

$$L_{a\gamma \gamma }=c\alpha a\stackrel{}{E}\stackrel{}{B}/f_{PQ}\pi $$
(4)   
with $`\alpha =1/137`$, where $`\stackrel{}{E}`$ and $`\stackrel{}{B}`$ are electric and magnetic fields respectively. The value of $`c`$ depends on the axion models; typically it is the order of one.

It follows from this interaction that Gauss law is given by

$$\stackrel{}{}\stackrel{}{E}=c\alpha \stackrel{}{}(a\stackrel{}{B})/f_{PQ}\pi +\text{“matter”}$$
(5)   
where the last term “matter” denotes contributions from ordinary matters. The first term in the right hand side represents a contribution from the axion. Thus it turns out that the axion field has an electric charge density, $`\rho _a=c\alpha \stackrel{}{}(a\stackrel{}{B})/f_{PQ}\pi `$, under the magnetic field $`\stackrel{}{B}`$. Accordingly, the electric field, $`E_a`$ associated with this axion charge is produced such that $`\stackrel{}{E_a}=c\alpha a\stackrel{}{B}/f_{PQ}\pi `$. Note that this field is quite strong around the surface of neutron star with a magnetic field $`10^{12}`$G; $`E_a10^{18}(B_{12}/m_5)\text{eV}\text{cm}^1`$ with $`B_{12}=B/10^{12}`$G.

Note that both of $`\rho _a`$ and $`E_a`$ oscillate with the frequency given by the mass of the axion in ABS, since the field $`a`$ itself oscillates. The typical spatial extension of the electric field is about $`10`$cm, while the frequency of the oscillation is $`10^9`$ Hz for ABS of our concern. Thus the electric field can not be screened by charged particles present around the neutron stars.

Obviously, this field induces an oscillating electric current $`J_m=\sigma E_a`$ in magnetized conducting media with electric conductivity $`\sigma `$. In addition to the current $`J_m`$ carried by ordinary matters, e.g. electrons, there appears an electric current, $`J_a`$, associated with the oscillating charge $`\rho _a`$ owing to the current conservation ( $`_0\rho _a\stackrel{}{}\stackrel{}{J_a}=0`$ ). This is given such that $`\stackrel{}{J_a}=c\alpha _ta\stackrel{}{B}/f_{PQ}\pi `$. This electric current is present even in nonconducting media like vacuum as far as ABS is exposed to the magnetic field. On the other hand, current $`J_m`$ is present only in the magnetized conducting media.

Since $`_tam_aa`$ in ABS, the ratio of $`J_m/J_a`$ is given by $`\sigma /m_a`$. Hence, $`J_a`$ is dominant in the media with $`\sigma <10^{12}/s`$, while $`J_m`$ is dominant in the media with $`\sigma >10^{12}/s`$; note that $`10^9/s<m_a<10^{12}/s`$ corresponding to the above constraint on $`f_{PQ}`$. Electric conductivities in the neutron stars are large enough for $`J_m`$ to be dominant, while the magnetospheres of the neutron stars may have the small conductivities so that $`J_a`$ is dominant. The envelopes of the neutron stars have still much large conductivities so that $`J_m`$ is dominant. Therefore, we expect that as ABS approaches the neutron star, both of the magnetic field and the conductivity become large and hence the rate of the dissipation of its energy increases; the rate is proportional to $`\sigma E_a^2`$. We will see soon later that ABS dissipates quite rapidly its whole energy inside of the neutron star because of the extremely high electric conductivity.

Let us evaluate amount of the energy dissipated in the magnetized conducting medium such as the magnetosphere and the inside of the neutron star. Denoting the average electric conductivity of the media by $`\sigma `$ and assuming the Ohm law, we find that the axion star dissipates an energy $`W`$ per unit time,

$$W=_{ABS}\sigma E_a^2d^3x=4c^2\times 10^{54}\text{erg/s}\frac{\sigma }{10^{26}/s}\frac{M}{10^4M_{}}\frac{B^2}{(10^8G)^2}$$
(6)   
where the integration has been performed over volume of ABS and we have used the explicit formula of $`a_0`$ and $`R_a`$ in the above. The value of the conductivity $`\sigma `$ is taken as a typical value of the inside of the neutron star, although its precise value depends on temperature, density, composition e.t.c. of the neutron star. When we consider magnetosphere with very low conductivity, $`\sigma <10^9`$/s, we should replace conductivity, $`\sigma `$, with mass $`m_a`$.

As we can see from the equation of $`W`$, the dissipation proceeds very rapidly in the neutron star even with relatively low magnetic field $`B10^8`$G. Since the real neutron stars, even old ones, must possess stronger magnetic fields than $`10^8`$G, ABS with mass $`10^4M_{}10^{50}`$erg evapolates within a time less than $`10^4`$ second in the core of the neutron star. It means that the real dissipation arises only near the envelope of the neutron star; ABS can not enter the core of the neutron star since a typical velocity of ABS in a halo is $`10^3\times \text{light velocity}`$. Therefore, the energy released with the collision between ABS and the neutron star occurs around the surface of the neutron star. This implies that a fire ball, which would be produced with the collision, may involve only a small fraction of baryons. We expect that this is a mechanism of generating the fire ball with few baryon contamination and hence with large Lorentz factor. Although we have neglected the dissipation in the region of the magnetosphere, even if the dissipation is so large for the whole energy of ABS to be dissipated in the region, the baryon contamination in the fire ball is smaller than one in the case of dissipation arising mainly near the envelope.

The amount of the energy released in this mechanism is given maximally by $`10^{50}`$ erg which is the mass, $`m_{pl}^2/m_a`$ of ABS with the choice of axion mass $`m_a=10^6`$eV; possibility of the axion with the axion mass smaller than $`m_a=10^6`$eV is inhibited cosmologically. Thus the maximal energy released is less than one observed in the gamma ray burst. However, in our mechanism generating the clean fire ball we can expect beaming of gamma ray emissions because of the presence of the strong magnetic field of the neutron star. Therefore, the observations do not necessarily contradict with our mechanism.

Here we wish to point out that since the electric field generated under the magnetic field of the neutron star is quite strong, $`E_a10^{18}(B_{12}/m_5)`$ eV $`\text{cm}^1`$, it is possible for the field to produce cosmic rays with extremely high energy such as $`10^{21}`$eV. Note that in a period $`10^9/m_5`$ sec of the oscillation of the field, a charged particle accelerated by the field can gain energy, $`E_a\times 10^9\text{sec}\times \text{light velocity}`$. Thus, the energy gain such as $`10^{21}`$eV is realized under the strong magnetic field $`10^{14}`$G. Hence we speculate that the mechanism of generating GRB is the same as one generating extremely high energy cosmic rays, although the neutron star need to possess stronger magnetic field for the generation of such cosmic rays than one the ordinal neutron star does.

Finally we evaluate the rate of the collisions between the neutron stars and ABSs. We assume that number of the neutron stars in a galaxy is $`10^810^9`$ just as expected in our galaxy. We also assume that the halo of the galaxy is composed mainly of ABS whose typical velocity, $`v`$ is supposed to be $`3\times 10^7`$ cm. Since local density of the halo in our galaxy is given by $`0.5\times 10^{24}`$g $`\text{cm}^3`$, the rate, $`R_c`$ of the collision per year and per a galaxy is calculated as follows,

$$R_c=n_a\times N_{ns}\times Sv\times 1\text{year}10^7m_510^6m_5\text{per year}$$
(7)   
with $`n_a=0.5\times 10^{24}\text{g cm}^3/M_a`$ being number density of ABS in the galaxy and $`N_{ns}=10^810^9`$ being the number of the neutron stars. Cross section, $`S`$ of the collision has been caluculated in the following. Namely, we suppose that the collision occurs when these two objects approach with each other such that the kinetic energy, $`v^2M_a/2`$ of ABS is equal to the potential energy $`GM_aM_{}/L_c`$ of ABS around the neutron star with mass $`M_{}`$; $`L_c10^{11}`$ cm. Thus $`S=\pi L_c^2`$. This means that ABS is trapped to the neutron star when they approach within a distance less than $`L_c`$. But this estimation of $`L_c`$ is too naive. In a real situation of the trapping ABS, we need to take account of the dissipation of both the kinetic energy and the angular momentum of ABS in the region of the magnetosphere or in outer region with the magnetic field. In these regions ABS interacts with the magnetic field as mentioned above and looses its energy or angular momentum. Therefore, it turns out that the rate, $`R_c`$ depends on the several parameters poorly known, e.g. electric conductivity of the surrounding of the neutron star. But we may expect from the naive estimation that the rate of the collisions is not necessarily inconsistent with the observations of GRB.

There must be various ways of ABS being trapped; ABS moves around the neutron stars several times before colliding the neutron star or it collides directly with the neutron stars. Thus we expect that there are several types of pulse of GRB. Actually, various shapes of the pulses have been observed. These variations might originate from the ways of ABS being trapped.

In summary, we have proposed a possible origin of generating GRB; the collision between ABS and the neutron star. In the collision ABS evapolates rapidly near the surface of the neutron star and maximally the energy $`10^{50}`$ erg can be released. We can expect quite a few contamination of baryons in a fire ball produced in this mechanism. We have also evaluated the rate of the collisions in a typical galaxy and have found that it is roughly $`10^7m_510^6m_5`$ per year, although there are several ambiguities in the evaluation. Since there are various ways of the collisions depending on the collision parameters, the variations of the shapes of GRB observed are possibly caused by theses ways of ABS colliding with the neutron star. Furthermore, we have pointed out that cosmic rays with extremely high energy, $`10^{21}`$eV, can be produced in the collisions between ABSs and the neutron stars with strong magnetic fields $`10^{14}`$G.

The author wish to express his thank for the hospitality in Tanashi KEK.