2011A&A...533L...5D

Globular cluster are believed to boost the rate of compact binary mergers that may launch a certain type of cosmological gamma-ray burst (GRB). Therefore globular clusters appear to be potential sites to search for remnants of such GRBs. The very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray source HESS J1747-248 recently discovered in the direction of the Galactic globular cluster Terzan 5 is investigated for being a GRB remnant. Signatures created by the ultrarelativistic outflow, the subrelativistic ejecta and the ionizing radiation of a short GRB are estimated for an expected age of such a remnant of t>10⁴years. The kinetic energy of a short GRB could roughly be adequate for powering the VHE source in a hadronic scenario. The age of the proposed remnant estimated from its extension possibly agrees with the occurrence of such events in the Galaxy. Subrelativistic merger ejecta could shock-heat the ambient medium. Further VHE observations can probe for the presence of a break towards lower energies expected for particle acceleration in ultrarelativistic shocks. Deep X-ray observations would have the potential to examine whether there is any thermal plasma heated by the subrelativistic ejecta. The identification of a GRB remnant in our own Galaxy may also help to explore the effect of such a highly energetic event on the Earth.