Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Scientific paper
2011-06-22
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
4 pages, accepted for publication in A&A Letters
Scientific paper
Globular cluster are believed to boost the rate of compact binary mergers which may launch a certain type of cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Therefore globular clusters appear to be potential sites to search for remnants of such GRBs. The very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray source HESS J1747-248 recently discovered in the direction of the Galactic globular cluster Terzan 5 is investigated for being a GRB remnant. Signatures created by the ultra-relativistic outflow, the sub-relativistic ejecta and the ionizing radiation of a short GRB are estimated for an expected age of such a remnant of t > 10^4 years. The kinetic energy of a short GRB could roughly be adequate to power the VHE source in a hadronic scenario. The age of the proposed remnant estimated from its extension possibly agrees with the occurrence of such events in the Galaxy. Sub-relativistic merger ejecta could shock-heat the ambient medium. Further VHE observations can probe the presence of a break towards lower energies expected for particle acceleration in ultra-relativistic shocks. Deep X-ray observations would have the potential to examine the presence of thermal plasma heated by the sub-relativistic ejecta. The identification of a GRB remnant in our own Galaxy may also help to explore the effect of such a highly energetic event on the Earth.
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