Cracking the Mystery of Gamma-Ray Bursts: New Simulations Shed Light on Black Holes

Astronomers may have solved the mystery of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) known as GRB 211211A, which was initially thought to be caused by an exploding massive star but may actually be the result of a merger between a neutron star and a black hole. The discovery suggests that many GRBs attributed to exploding stars may actually be caused by such mergers. Computer simulations of the merger process revealed that the strength of the magnetic field within the accretion disk formed around the black hole determines the duration and luminosity of the GRB jet. This finding has implications for understanding the production rates of heavy elements, such as gold and platinum, as kilonovas are known to create conditions suitable for their production.