Scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have confirmed that two long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originated from the collapse of neutron stars into black holes. This finding sheds new light on the mechanisms behind the universe's most energetic explosions.
The research team analyzed data from both events, linking them to the gravitational collapse of neutron stars—a process distinct from the more common merger scenarios. The collapse likely occurred when the neutron star's core exceeded a critical mass, triggering a direct implosion into a black hole.
The bursts were identified as long-duration GRBs, which last more than two seconds, distinguishing them from short-duration bursts typically associated with mergers. The team's analysis involved modeling the collapse dynamics and matching them with observed gamma-ray signatures.
These results deepen understanding of how neutron stars can die without a binary companion—a scenario previously considered rare. The work provides new evidence for a distinct pathway to black hole formation that produces detectable high-energy emissions.
A potential caveat is that the sample size remains small—only two events—leaving open questions about how frequently this collapse mechanism occurs. The team acknowledges that further observations are needed to confirm whether these cases represent a new class of GRB progenitors.