GAMMA-RAY BURSTS FROM COLLIDING STRANGE STARS

The rate of collisions between the neutron stars in approximately 10(-4) yr-1 in our Galaxy and approximately 10(5) yr-1 within the Hubble distance. The collisions are the final phases of binary orbit decay driven by gravitational radiation and may produce gamma-ray bursts detectable at extragalactic distances. If strange stars exist then their collisions must release approximately 10(50) ergs in gamma rays over approximately 0.2 s. Such events should be detectable out to approximately 1 Gpc with the current instruments. The distance to the majority of gamma-ray bursts is not known at this time. The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on Gamma Ray Observatory should determine the distance scale by determining the angular distribution of very weak bursts. If the majority of gamma-ray bursts turn out to be extragalactic, and if their distances are approximately Gpc, then the collisions between strange stars may be the least speculative events that might account for so energetic bursts.