Potential Connection Between IceCube Neutrinos and Late Bumps in Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gang Guo, Yong-Zhong Qian, Meng-Ru Wu

Published 2019-11-18Version 1

IceCube has detected many TeV-PeV neutrinos, but their astrophysical origins remain largely unknown. Motivated by the observed late-time X-ray/optical bumps in some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), we examine the correlation between IceCube neutrinos and GRBs allowing delayed neutrinos $\sim$ days after the prompt gamma rays and suggest a few potentially correlated events. We show in a model-independent way that GRB sites capable of producing late $\sim$ PeV neutrinos should be nonrelativistic or mildly relativistic. We estimate the diffuse neutrino flux from such sources and find that they can possibly account for a few IceCube events. Future observations of high-energy neutrinos and late-time GRB afterglows can further test the above proposed connection.