Short GRBs and their progenitors | Eleonora Troja ( INAF- Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo )

Short duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are widely thought to result from compact binaries mergers. Growing observational evidence seems to support this popular scenario. At the same time Swift observations of short GRBs revealed new features on their emission properties: precursors, X-ray flares and, in particular, a temporally extended emission provide compelling evidence of a long-lived central engine. The traditional neutron stars merger model does not naturally account for such late time activity. I will present the current observational status of short GRBs and discuss the implications, with particular regard to progenitors population.