Magnetized hypermassive neutron-star collapse: A central engine for short gamma-ray bursts

A hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) is a possible transient formed after the merger of a neutron-star binary. In the latest axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations in full general relativity, we find that a magnetized HMNS undergoes "delayed" collapse to a rotating black hole (BH) as a result of angular momentum transport via magnetic braking and the magnetorotational instability. The outcome is a BH surrounded by a massive, hot torus with a collimated magnetic field. The torus accretes onto the BH at a quasisteady accretion rate similar to 10(circle dot)/s; the lifetime of the torus is similar to 10 ms. The torus has a temperature greater than or similar to 10(12) K, leading to copious (nu(nu) over bar) thermal radiation that could trigger a fireball. Therefore, the collapse of a HMNS is a promising scenario for generating short-duration gamma-ray bursts and an accompanying burst of gravitational waves and neutrinos.