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Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

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LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, Fermi GBM, INTEGRAL, IceCube Collaboration, AstroSat Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager Team, IPN Collaboration, The Insight-Hxmt Collaboration, ANTARES Collaboration, The Swift Collaboration, AGILE Team, The 1M2H Team, The Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaboration, The DES Collaboration, The DLT40 Collaboration, GRAWITA: GRAvitational Wave Inaf TeAm, The Fermi Large Area Telescope Collaboration, ATCA: Australia Telescope Compact Array, ASKAP: Australian SKA Pathfinder, Las Cumbres Observatory Group, OzGrav, DWF (Deeper, Wider, Faster Program), AST3, CAASTRO Collaborations, The VINROUGE Collaboration, MASTER Collaboration, J-GEM, GROWTH, JAGWAR, CaltechNRAO, TTU-NRAO, NuSTAR Collaborations, Pan-STARRS, The MAXI Team, TZAC Consortium, KU Collaboration, Nordic Optical Telescope, ePESSTO, GROND, Texas Tech University, SALT Group, TOROS: Transient Robotic Observatory of the South Collaboration, The BOOTES Collaboration, MWA: Murchison Widefield Array, The CALET Collaboration, IKI-GW Follow-up Collaboration, H.E.S.S. Collaboration, LOFAR Collaboration, LWA: Long Wavelength Array, HAWC Collaboration, The Pierre Auger Collaboration, ALMA Collaboration, Euro VLBI Team, Pi of the Sky Collaboration, The Chandra Team at McGill University, DFN:Desert Fireball Network, ATLAS, High Time Resolution Universe Survey, RIMAS, RATIR, SKA South Africa/MeerKAT (Including: Oates, S. R., Levan, Andrew J., Steeghs, D., Ulasczyk, K., Cutter, Ryan J., Gompertz, Benjamin P. and Stanway, Elizabeth R.). (2017) Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 848 (2). L12. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9

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Abstract

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40 8 8 - + Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 M. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the OneMeter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ∼10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC 4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Neutron stars, Gravitational waves
Journal or Publication Title: The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Publisher: Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN: 2041-8205
Official Date: 16 October 2017
Dates:
DateEvent
16 October 2017Published
6 October 2017Accepted
Volume: 848
Number: 2
Article Number: L12
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
Grant No.725246H2020 European Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100010663
ST/P000495/1Science and Technology Facilities Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000271
UNSPECIFIEDLeverhulme Trusthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000275
UNSPECIFIEDMonash-Warwick AllianceUNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDKøbenhavns Universitethttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001734
UNSPECIFIEDThe Heising-Simons FoundationUNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDRégion Île de-France (France)UNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDRégion Alsace (France)UNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDRégion Provence-Alpes-Côte d’AzurUNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDDépartement du VarUNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDVille de La Seyne-sur-Mer UNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDCouncil of the President of the Russian Federation for young scientists and leading scientific schools UNSPECIFIED

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