Space Sci Rev (2016) 202:33–78 DOI 10.1007/s11214-016-0312-x Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitors Andrew Levan1 · Paul Crowther2 · Richard de Grijs3,4 · Norbert Langer5 · Dong Xu6,7,8 · Sung-Chul Yoon9 Received: 26 August 2016 / Accepted: 8 November 2016 / Published online: 21 November 2016 © The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract We review our current understanding of the progenitors of both long and short duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Constraints can be derived from multiple directions, and we use three distinct strands; (i) direct observations of GRBs and their host galaxies, (ii) parameters derived from modelling, both via population synthesis and direct numerical simulation and (iii) our understanding of plausible analog progenitor systems observed in the local Universe. From these joint constraints, we describe the likely routes that can drive B A. Levan
[email protected] P. Crowther Paul.crowther@sheffield.ac.uk R. de Grijs
[email protected] N. Langer
[email protected] D. Xu
[email protected] S.-C. Yoon
[email protected] 1 Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK 2 Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK 3 Kavli Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics and Department of Astronomy, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100871, China 4 International Space Science Institute–Beijing, 1 Nanertiao, Zhongguancun, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100190, China 5 Argelander-Institut für Astronomie der Universität Bonn, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121, Bonn, Germany 6 Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels-Bohr-Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark 7 National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China 34 A.