Unsupervised machine learning classification of gamma-ray bursts based on the rest-frame prompt emission parameters

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhu, Si-Yuan, Shao, Lang, Tam, Pak-Hin Thomas, Zhang, Fu-Wen
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Zhu, Si-Yuan
Shao, Lang
Tam, Pak-Hin Thomas
Zhang, Fu-Wen
author_facet Zhu, Si-Yuan
Shao, Lang
Tam, Pak-Hin Thomas
Zhang, Fu-Wen
contents Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are generally believed to originate from two distinct progenitors, compact binary mergers and massive collapsars. Traditional and some recent machine learning-based classification schemes predominantly rely on observer-frame physical parameters, which are significantly affected by the redshift effects and may not accurately represent the intrinsic properties of GRBs. In particular, the progenitors usually could only be decided by successful detection of the multi-band long-term afterglow, which could easily cost days of devoted effort from multiple global observational utilities. In this work, we apply the unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms called t-SNE and UMAP to perform GRB classification based on rest-frame prompt emission parameters. The map results of both t-SNE and UMAP reveal a clear division of these GRBs into two clusters, denoted as GRBs-I and GRBs-II. We find that all supernova-associated GRBs, including the atypical short-duration burst GRB 200826A (now recognized as collapsar-origin), consistently fall within the GRBs-II category. Conversely, all kilonova-associated GRBs (except for two controversial events) are classified as GRBs-I, including the peculiar long-duration burst GRB 060614 originating from a merger event. In another words, this clear ML separation of two types of GRBs based only on prompt properties could correctly predict the results of progenitors without follow-up afterglow properties. Comparative analysis with conventional classification methods using $T_{90}$ and $E_{\rm p,z}$--$E_{\rm iso}$ correlation demonstrates that our machine learning approach provides superior discriminative power, particularly in resolving ambiguous cases of hybrid GRBs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_08224
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Unsupervised machine learning classification of gamma-ray bursts based on the rest-frame prompt emission parameters
Zhu, Si-Yuan
Shao, Lang
Tam, Pak-Hin Thomas
Zhang, Fu-Wen
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are generally believed to originate from two distinct progenitors, compact binary mergers and massive collapsars. Traditional and some recent machine learning-based classification schemes predominantly rely on observer-frame physical parameters, which are significantly affected by the redshift effects and may not accurately represent the intrinsic properties of GRBs. In particular, the progenitors usually could only be decided by successful detection of the multi-band long-term afterglow, which could easily cost days of devoted effort from multiple global observational utilities. In this work, we apply the unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms called t-SNE and UMAP to perform GRB classification based on rest-frame prompt emission parameters. The map results of both t-SNE and UMAP reveal a clear division of these GRBs into two clusters, denoted as GRBs-I and GRBs-II. We find that all supernova-associated GRBs, including the atypical short-duration burst GRB 200826A (now recognized as collapsar-origin), consistently fall within the GRBs-II category. Conversely, all kilonova-associated GRBs (except for two controversial events) are classified as GRBs-I, including the peculiar long-duration burst GRB 060614 originating from a merger event. In another words, this clear ML separation of two types of GRBs based only on prompt properties could correctly predict the results of progenitors without follow-up afterglow properties. Comparative analysis with conventional classification methods using $T_{90}$ and $E_{\rm p,z}$--$E_{\rm iso}$ correlation demonstrates that our machine learning approach provides superior discriminative power, particularly in resolving ambiguous cases of hybrid GRBs.
title Unsupervised machine learning classification of gamma-ray bursts based on the rest-frame prompt emission parameters
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.08224