Magnetar emergence in a peculiar gamma-ray burst from a compact star merger

Abstract

The central engine that powers gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most powerful explosions in the universe, is still not identified. Besides hyper-accreting black holes, rapidly spinning and highly magnetized neutron stars, known as millisecond magnetars, have been suggested to power both long and short GRBs. The presence of a magnetar engine following compact star mergers is of particular interest as it would provide essential constraints on the poorly understood equation of state for neutron stars. Indirect indications of a magnetar engine in these merger sources have been observed in the form of plateau features present in the X-ray afterglow light curves of some short GRBs. Additionally, some X-ray transients lacking gamma-ray bursts have been identified as potential magnetar candidates originating from compact star mergers. Nevertheless, smoking-gun evidence is still lacking for a magnetar engine in short GRBs, and associated theoretical challenges have been raised. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the broad-band prompt emission data of the peculiar, very bright GRB 230307A. Despite its apparently long duration, the prompt emission and host galaxy properties are consistent with a compact star merger origin, as suggested by its association with a kilonova. Intriguingly, an extended X-ray emission component shows up as the γ-ray emission dies out, signifying the likely emergence of a magnetar central engine. We also identify an achromatic temporal break in the high-energy band during the prompt emission phase, which was never observed in previous bursts and reveals a narrow jet with a half opening angle of ∼3.4^◦(R<inf>GRB</inf>/10¹⁵cm)⁻¹/², where R<inf>GRB</inf> is the GRB prompt emission radius.