Current algebra based effective chiral theory of mesons and a new EW theory

A current algebra based effective chiral theory of pseudoscalar, vector, axial-vector mesons is reviewed. A new mechanism generating the masses and guage fixing terms of gauge boson is revealed from this effective theory. A EW theory without Higgs is proposed. The masses and gauge fixing terms of W and Z are dynamically generated. Three heavy scalar fields are dynamically generated too. They are ghosts.Comment: 4 pages, talk presented at conference of QCD and hadronic physics, 6/16-6/21, Beijing, Chin

On the afterglow and progenitor of FRB 150418

Keane et al. recently detected a fading radio source following FRB 150418, leading to the identification of a putative host galaxy at $z = 0.492 \pm 0.008$. Assuming that the fading source is the afterglow of FRB 150418, I model the afterglow and constrain the isotropic energy of the explosion to be a few $10^{50}$ erg, comparable to that of a short duration GRB. The outflow may have a jet opening angle of $\sim 0.22$ rad, so that the beaming-corrected energy is below $10^{49}$ erg. The results rule out most FRB progenitor models for this FRB, but may be consistent with either of the following two scenarios. The first scenario invokes a merger of an NS-NS binary, which produced an undetected short GRB and a supra-massive neutron star, which subsequently collapsed into a black hole, probably 100s of seconds after the short GRB. The second scenario invokes a merger of a compact star binary (BH-BH, NS-NS, or BH-NS) system whose pre-merger dynamical magnetospheric activities made the FRB, which is followed by an undetected short GRB-like transient. The gravitational wave (GW) event GW150914 would be a sister of FRB 150418 in this second scenario. In both cases, one expects an exciting prospect of GW/FRB/GRB associations.Comment: ApJL, in pres

The Delay Time of Gravitational Wave — Gamma-Ray Burst Associations

The first gravitational wave (GW) — gamma-ray burst (GRB) association, GW170817/GRB 170817A, had an offset in time, with the GRB trigger time delayed by ∼1.7 s with respect to the merger time of the GW signal. We generally discuss the astrophysical origin of the delay time, Δt, of GW-GRB associations within the context of compact binary coalescence (CBC) — short GRB (sGRB) associations and GW burst — long GRB (lGRB) associations. In general, the delay time should include three terms, the time to launch a clean (relativistic) jet, Δtjet; the time for the jet to break out from the surrounding medium, Δtbo; and the time for the jet to reach the energy dissipation and GRB emission site, ΔtGRB. For CBC-sGRB associations, Δtjet and Δtbo are correlated, and the final delay can be from 10 ms to a few seconds. For GWB-lGRB associations, Δtjet and Δtbo are independent. The latter is at least ∼10 s, so that Δt of these associations is at least this long. For certain jet launching mechanisms of lGRBs, Δt can be minutes or even hours long due to the extended engine waiting time to launch a jet. We discuss the cases of GW170817/GRB 170817A and GW150914/GW150914-GBM within this theoretical framework and suggest that the delay times of future GW/GRB associations will shed light into the jet launching mechanisms of GRBs

Mergers of Charged Black Holes: Gravitational Wave Events, Short Gamma-Ray Bursts, and Fast Radio Bursts

The discoveries of GW 150914, GW 151226, and LVT 151012 suggest that double black hole (BH-BH) mergers are common in the universe. If at least one of the two merging black holes carries certain amount of charge, possibly retained by a rotating magnetosphere, the inspiral of a BH-BH system would drive a global magnetic dipole normal to the orbital plane. The rapidly evolving magnetic moment during the merging process would drive a Poynting flux with an increasing wind power. The magnetospheric activities during the final phase of the merger would make a fast radio burst (FRB) if the BH charge can be as large as a factor of $\hat q \sim (10^{-9}-10^{-8})$ of the critical charge $Q_c$ of the BH. At large radii, dissipation of the Poynting flux energy in the outflow would power a short duration high-energy transient, which would appear as a detectable short-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) if the charge can be as large as $\hat q \sim (10^{-5}-10^{-4})$. The putative short GRB coincident with GW 150914 recorded by Fermi GBM may be interpreted with this model. Future joint GW/GRB/FRB searches would lead to a measurement or place a constraint on the charges carried by isolate black holes.Comment: 5 pages, more discussion on BH electrodynamics and origin of BH charge, final version to appear in ApJ

Early X-ray and optical afterglow of gravitational wave bursts from mergers of binary neutron stars

Double neutron star mergers are strong sources of gravitational waves. The upcoming advanced gravitational wave detectors are expected to make the first detection of gravitational wave bursts (GWBs) associated with these sources. Proposed electromagnetic counterparts of a GWB include a short GRB, an optical macronova, and a long-lasting radio afterglow. Here we suggest that at least some GWBs could be followed by an early afterglow lasting for thousands of seconds, if the post-merger product is a short-lived massive neutron star rather than a black hole. This afterglow is powered by dissipation of a proto-magnetar wind. The X-ray flux is estimated to be as bright as 10^{-8}-10^{-7} erg/s/cm^2. The optical flux is subject to large uncertainties but could be as bright as 17th magnitude in R-band. We provide observational hints of such a scenario, and discuss the challenge and strategy to detect these signals.Comment: ApJL, in pres

Physical origin of X-ray flares following GRBs

One of the major achievements of Swift is the discovery of the erratic X-ray flares harboring nearly half of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), both for long-duration and short-duration categories, and both for traditional hard GRBs and soft X-ray flashes (XRFs). Here I review the arguments in support of the suggestion that they are powered by reactivation of the GRB central engine, and that the emission site is typically ``internal'', i.e. at a distance within the forward shock front. The curvature effect that characterizes the decaying lightcurve slope during the fading phase of the flares provides an important clue. I will then discuss several suggestions to re-start the GRB central engine and comment on how future observations may help to unveil the physical origin of X-ray flares.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure, uses aipproc.cls; to appear in ``16th Annual October Astrophysics Conference in Maryland", eds. S. Holt, N. Gehrels and J. Nousek, AIP Conf.Proc

Gamma-ray burst afterglows

Extended, fading emissions in multi-wavelength are observed following Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Recent broad-band observational campaigns led by the Swift Observatory reveal rich features of these GRB afterglows. Here we review the latest observational progress and discuss the theoretical implications for understanding the central engine, composition, and geometric configuration of GRB jets, as well as their interactions with the ambient medium.Comment: References added, accepted for publication in Advances in Space Researc