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Einstein Probe detected soft X-rays for about 560 seconds after a gamma-ray burst that lasted only about 0.4 seconds. The observation of EP250704a/GRB 250704B points to a prolonged phase of activity in one compact-object merger event—not a newly confirmed stage in every neutron-star collision.
What did Einstein Probe detect?
The event, observed on 4 July 2025, was designated EP250704a in X-rays and GRB 250704B in gamma rays. In the study by An Li and colleagues, the brief gamma-ray burst was followed by a soft X-ray component lasting approximately 560 seconds in the 0.5–4 keV band. The paper describes the extended component as a distinct prompt-emission phase. The study was accepted for publication in Science Bulletin; the cited arXiv record is version 2, revised 22 August 2026.
| Observed component | Duration | Energy range | What the study reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma-ray burst | About 0.4 seconds | Not stated in the cited summary | A brief high-energy burst |
| Soft X-ray emission | Approximately 560 seconds | 0.5–4 keV | Variable emission with spectral behavior the authors say differs from the standard hard-spike-plus-afterglow picture |
The University of Hong Kong account describes multiple episodes of soft X-ray emission after the gamma-ray signal had faded, continuing for nearly ten minutes. Its announcement says Einstein Probe, SVOM and Insight-HXMT captured the transient.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhy was the soft X-ray phase easy to miss?
Gamma-ray detectors can identify a short burst, after which conventional X-ray telescopes may turn toward the location to begin follow-up. That sequence can miss early activity that begins and evolves before a pointed telescope arrives. Einstein Probe’s wide-field soft X-ray monitoring could observe the longer-lasting component directly, rather than relying only on a later follow-up observation.
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This is why the finding matters: the gamma-ray flash was over in a fraction of a second, while the soft X-ray emission continued for minutes. A gamma-ray-focused account of the event alone would not show the full timeline.
What might have powered the continuing emission?
The observed variability and changing spectrum are consistent with continued activity from the merger’s central engine after the short gamma-ray burst. One proposed explanation is that the merger left behind a rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized neutron star—a magnetar—which continued to inject energy. The observations do not establish that a magnetar formed; it remains a possible interpretation of the signal.
The researchers interpret the high-energy event as involving a compact-object merger. The cited announcement and study do not report a coincident gravitational-wave detection for EP250704a/GRB 250704B, so this should not be described as a gravitational-wave-confirmed neutron-star collision.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHow does this compare with earlier merger observations?
A short gamma-ray burst is a brief, high-energy flash associated with some compact-object mergers. The new contribution here is direct coverage of a minutes-long soft X-ray component accompanying a short burst—not the first evidence that mergers can produce electromagnetic signals.
For comparison, GW170817/AT 2017gfo was the landmark 2017 event in which gravitational waves were observed alongside a short gamma-ray burst and an optical/infrared kilonova. A Nature study reported a rapidly fading transient consistent with kilonova predictions and inferred radioactive r-process powering. That event provides historical context; it is not the event Einstein Probe observed in 2025.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the observation does—and does not—show
The authors argue that long-lasting X-ray emission may be a common feature of merger-driven bursts. This one event, however, does not establish how often the component occurs or prove that every neutron-star merger has the same phase. It is evidence that a prolonged soft X-ray component can accompany a short burst, and that wide-field soft X-ray observations can reveal it.
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