Long Gamma Ray Bursts from binary black holes

Abstract

We consider a scenario for the longest duration gamma ray bursts, resulting from the collapse of a massive rotating star in a close binary system with a companion black hole. The primary black hole born during the core collapse is first being spun up and increases its mass during the fallback of the stellar envelope just after its birth. As the companion black hole enters the outer envelope, it provides an additional angular momentum to the gas. After the infall and spiral-in towards the primary, the two black holes merge inside the circumbinary disk. The second episode of mass accretion and high final spin of the post-merger black hole prolongs the gamma ray burst central engine activity. The observed events should have two distinct peaks in the electromagnetic signal, separated by the gravitational wave emission. The gravitational recoil of the burst engine is also possible.