Project description
Unifying the physics of gamma-ray bursts
Long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) are the universe’s most violent explosions after the Big Bang, created when a massive star collapses, thereby launching powerful relativistic jets. Yet, after decades of study, the engine powering LGRBs remains unknown. Is the centre an accreting black hole or a highly magnetised neutron star? Theoretical models have failed to answer, being forced to simulate isolated stages rather than the complete sequence of events. The ERC-funded BlackJET project aims to combine core-collapse supernova models with GPU-accelerated jet simulations. Researchers will consistently model every stage, from stellar collapse to the observed light. This approach will disclose the connection between the dying star, the central engine, and the jet, bridging stellar evolution and high-energy astronomy.
Objective
Long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) are the most violent explosions in the Universe after the Big Bang, occurring during the collapse of a massive star that leaves behind a newly formed compact object and launches powerful relativistic jets.
At more than 55 years from their discovery, the mechanism responsible for the electromagnetic emission of LGRBs remains unclear, just as the nature of the accreting compact object that powers them up.
The huge scale separation between different processes (the gravitational collapse and the onset of the supernova, the propagation of the jet through the star, and the production of high-energy emission from the jet at large distances) usually forces theoretical and numerical models to focus on a specific stage of the LGRB, rather than considering them all at once.
To this day, there are two fundamental questions that remain unanswered:
- What is the main prompt emission mechanism? Several models are currently proposed, which are in some cases mutually exclusive and are highly dependent on the properties of the jet and the central engine's dynamics.
- What is the central engine of a LGRB? To date there are two competing scenarios, involving either an accreting black hole (collapsar) or a highly magnetized proto-neutron star (millisecond magnetar).
Combining state-of-the-art core-collapse supernova models with high-performance GPU-accelerated relativistic jet simulations, the BlackJET project will provide a unified picture of LGRBs by consistently modeling all stages from the start of the stellar collapse to the observed electromagnetic emission.
This holistic approach will unveil the intimate connection between stellar progenitor, accreting central engine, and relativistic jet, ultimately disclosing the observational signatures that a realistic LGRB progenitor should produce.
By bridging the gap between stellar evolution and GRB astronomy we will be able to effectively address the fundamental questions about the nature of LGRBs.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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75015 Paris
France
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