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The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars

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Tanvir, N. R., Levan, Andrew J., González-Fernández, C., Korobkin, O., Mandel, I., Rosswog, S., Hjorth, J., D’Avanzo, P., Fruchter, A. S., Fryer, C. L. et al.
(2017) The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars. Astrophysical Journal, 848 (2). L27. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

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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 spectroscopy, similar to those predicted for lanthanide-dominated ejecta, and the much slower evolution in the near-infrared ${K}_{{\rm{s}}}$-band compared to the optical. This indicates that the late-time light is dominated by high-opacity lanthanide-rich ejecta, suggesting nucleosynthesis to the third r-process peak (atomic masses $A\approx 195$). This discovery confirms that neutron-star mergers produce kilo-/macronovae and that they are at least a major—if not the dominant—site of rapid neutron capture nucleosynthesis in the universe.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Physics
Journal or Publication Title: Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: IOP Publishing
ISSN: 0004-637X
Official Date: 16 October 2017
Dates:
DateEvent
16 October 2017Available
29 September 2017Accepted
Volume: 848
Number: 2
Article Number: L27
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access

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