On Radiation Drag and Neutrons in GRBs

Abstract

As it was recently shown by Derishev etal (1999), initial GRB ejecta are likely to contain comparable number of protons and neutrons. During acceleration process, and/or later, due to interaction with external medium, such ejecta are likely to be split into spatially distinct shells of neutron and proton-electron plasmas. This leads to dynamical effects which can affect the afterglow light curves. In this paper we study these effects including, for the first time, radiation drag imposed on the neutron rich ejecta. In the presence of efficient radiation drag and for typical ejecta Lorentz factor (below 400), this is the neutron shell which moves faster and, after conversion to proton-electron plasma, powers the afterglow. After certain amount of deceleration, this shell is hit by the second one. Such collision will lead to reflaring, as observed in some afterglow light curves.