The Emergence of a Lanthanide-rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars

Tanvir, N. R.; Levan, A. J.; Gónzalez-Fernández, C.; Korobkin, Oleg; Mandel, Ilya; Rosswog, Stephan; Hjorth, J.; D’Avanzo, P.; Fruchter, A. S.; Fryer, Chris L.; Kangas, T.; Milvang‐Jensen, B.; Rosetti, S.; Steeghs, D.; Wollaeger, Ryan; Cano, Z.; Copperwheat, C. M.; Covino, S.; D’Elia, V.; Postigo, A. de Ugarte; Evans, P. A.; Even, Wesley; Fairhurst, S.; Jaimes, R. Figuera; Fontes, Christopher J.; Fujii, Yuri I.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Gompertz, B. P.; Greiner, J.; Hodosán, Gabriella; Irwin, M. J.; Jakobsson, P.; Jørgensen, U. G.; Канн, Д. А.; Lyman, J.; Malesani, D.; McMahon, R. G.; Melandri, A.; O’Brien, P. T.; Osborne, J. P.; Palazzi, E.; Perley, D. A.; Pian, E.; Piranomonte, S.; Rabus, M.; Rol, E.; Rowlinson, A.; Schulze, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Thöne, C. C.; Ulaczyk, K.; Watson, D.; Wiersema, K.; Wijers, R. A. M. J.

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

articleThe Astrophysical Journal LettersOct 16, 2017HYBRID OA

The Emergence of a Lanthanide-rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars

NRN. R. Tanvir AJA. J. Levan CGC. Gónzalez-Fernández OKOleg Korobkin IMIlya Mandel

University of Leicester · University of Warwick · +24 more institutions

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Abstract

Abstract We report the discovery and monitoring of the near-infrared counterpart (AT2017gfo) of a binary neutron-star merger event detected as a gravitational wave source by Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo (GW170817) and as a short gamma-ray burst by Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and Integral SPI-ACS (GRB 170817A). The evolution of the transient light is consistent with predictions for the behavior of a “kilonova/macronova” powered by the radioactive decay of massive neutron-rich nuclides created via r -process nucleosynthesis in the neutron-star ejecta. In particular, evidence for this scenario is found from broad features seen in Hubble Space Telescope infrared…

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Topics & keywords

Topics

Keywords

Kilonova
Physics
Nucleosynthesis
Neutron star
LIGO
Astrophysics
Ejecta
Gravitational wave

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