GRB 230307A: New Insights into Compact Star Mergers and Magnetar Activity

Gamma-ray Burst (GRB) 230307A's prompt emission suggests it originated from a binary compact-star merger. The LEIA and GECAM instruments captured the event across a broad energy spectrum, ranging from 0.5 to 6000 keV. The extended X-ray plateau, which outlasted the gamma-ray emission, points to a separate and distinct emission source.

Researchers identified a unique achromatic temporal break in the high-energy band, something never observed before. This break indicates a narrow jet emanating from the source, which drives the gamma-ray emission. The spectral energy distribution combines both the prompt emission and X-ray emission, potentially originating from a newly formed magnetar.

GRB 230307A underscores the unexplained phenomena in the soft X-ray domain, highlighting the capabilities of missions like the Einstein Probe. GECAM's rapid alert system facilitated coordinated observations worldwide. These findings could encourage further investigation into other GRB events and deepen our understanding of the nature of matter within neutron stars.