Spectroscopic identification of r-process nucleosynthesis in a double neutron-star merger

Nature
E PianD Vergani

Abstract

The merger of two neutron stars is predicted to give rise to three major detectable phenomena: a short burst of γ-rays, a gravitational-wave signal, and a transient optical-near-infrared source powered by the synthesis of large amounts of very heavy elements via rapid neutron capture (the r-process). Such transients, named 'macronovae' or 'kilonovae', are believed to be centres of production of rare elements such as gold and platinum. The most compelling evidence so far for a kilonova was a very faint near-infrared rebrightening in the afterglow of a short γ-ray burst at redshift z = 0.356, although findings indicating bluer events have been reported. Here we report the spectral identification and describe the physical properties of a bright kilonova associated with the gravitational-wave source GW170817 and γ-ray burst GRB 170817A associated with a galaxy at a distance of 40 megaparsecs from Earth. Using a series of spectra from ground-based observatories covering the wavelength range from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, we find that the kilonova is characterized by rapidly expanding ejecta with spectral features similar to those predicted by current models. The ejecta is optically thick early on, with a velocity of abou...Continue Reading

References

Sep 24, 2016·Nature Communications·Zhi-Ping JinTsvi Piran
Jun 6, 2017·Living Reviews in Relativity·Brian D Metzger
Oct 19, 2017·Science·G HallinanL P Singer
Nov 4, 2017·Physical Review Letters·B P AbbottUNKNOWN LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration

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Citations

Jun 6, 2018·Journal of Computational Neuroscience·Yimeng ZhangShiming Tang
Dec 31, 2019·Living Reviews in Relativity·Brian D Metzger
Oct 6, 2020·Living Reviews in Relativity·B P AbbottUNKNOWN KAGRA Collaboration, LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration
Apr 13, 2019·Physical Review Letters·George M FullerVolodymyr Takhistov
May 5, 2018·Living Reviews in Relativity·B P AbbottUNKNOWN KAGRA Collaboration, LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration
Oct 28, 2019·Nature·Darach WatsonElena Pian
Mar 18, 2021·Nature Reviews Physics·Andrew J Levan, Peter G Jonker
Apr 29, 2021·Anais Da Academia Brasileira De Ciências·Jifeng LiuZhaohui Shang
Jul 9, 2021·Nature·D YongB P Schmidt
Mar 27, 2020··Roland Diehl, Roland Diehl

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