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

N. R. Tanvir; A. J. Levan; C. González-Fernández; O. Korobkin; I. Mandel; S. Rosswog; J. Hjorth; P. D’Avanzo; A. S. Fruchter; C. L. Fryer; T. Kangas; B. Milvang-Jensen; S. Rosetti; D. Steeghs; R. T. Wollaeger; Z. Cano; C. M. Copperwheat; S. Covino; V. D’Elia; A. de Ugarte Postigo; P. A. Evans; W. P. Even; S. Fairhurst; R. Figuera Jaimes; C. J. Fontes; Y. I. Fujii; J. P. U. Fynbo; B. P. Gompertz; J. Greiner; G. Hodosan; M. J. Irwin; P. Jakobsson; U. G. Jørgensen; D. A. Kann; J. D. Lyman; D. Malesani; R. G. McMahon; A. Melandri; P. T. O’Brien; J. P. Osborne; E. Palazzi; D. A. Perley; E. Pian; S. Piranomonte; M. Rabus; E. Rol; A. Rowlinson; S. Schulze; P. Sutton; C. C. Thöne; K. Ulaczyk; D. Watson; K. Wiersema; R. A. M. J. Wijers

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

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

N. R. Tanvir, A. J. Levan, C. González-Fernández, O. Korobkin, I. Mandel, S. Rosswog, J. Hjorth, P. D’Avanzo, A. S. Fruchter, C. L. Fryer, T. Kangas, B. Milvang-Jensen, S. Rosetti, D. Steeghs, R. T. Wollaeger, Z. Cano, C. M. Copperwheat, S. Covino, V. D’Elia, A. de Ugarte PostigoP. A. Evans, W. P. Even, S. Fairhurst, R. Figuera Jaimes, C. J. Fontes, Y. I. Fujii, J. P. U. Fynbo, B. P. Gompertz, J. Greiner, G. Hodosan, M. J. Irwin, P. Jakobsson, U. G. Jørgensen, D. A. Kann, J. D. Lyman, D. Malesani, R. G. McMahon, A. Melandri, P. T. O’Brien, J. P. Osborne, E. Palazzi, D. A. Perley, E. Pian, S. Piranomonte, M. Rabus, E. Rol, A. Rowlinson, S. Schulze, P. Sutton, C. C. Thöne, K. Ulaczyk, D. Watson, K. Wiersema, R. A. M. J. Wijers

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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_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 ≈ 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.

Original language	English
Article number	L27
Number of pages	9
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	848
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6
Publication status	Published - 16 Oct 2017

Keywords

Gravitational waves
Nuclear reactions
Nucleosynthesis
Abundances
Stars: neutron

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Tanvir, N. R., Levan, A. J., González-Fernández, C., Korobkin, O., Mandel, I., Rosswog, S., Hjorth, J., D’Avanzo, P., Fruchter, A. S., Fryer, C. L., Kangas, T., Milvang-Jensen, B., Rosetti, S., Steeghs, D., Wollaeger, R. T., Cano, Z., Copperwheat, C. M., Covino, S., D’Elia, V., ... Wijers, R. A. M. J. (2017). The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 848(2), Article L27. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

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title = "The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars",

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 Ks-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 ≈ 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.",

keywords = "Gravitational waves, Nuclear reactions, Nucleosynthesis, Abundances, Stars: neutron",

author = "Tanvir, {N. R.} and Levan, {A. J.} and C. Gonz{\'a}lez-Fern{\'a}ndez and O. Korobkin and I. Mandel and S. Rosswog and J. Hjorth and P. D{\textquoteright}Avanzo and Fruchter, {A. S.} and Fryer, {C. L.} and T. Kangas and B. Milvang-Jensen and S. Rosetti and D. Steeghs and Wollaeger, {R. T.} and Z. Cano and Copperwheat, {C. M.} and S. Covino and V. D{\textquoteright}Elia and Postigo, {A. de Ugarte} and Evans, {P. A.} and Even, {W. P.} and S. Fairhurst and {Figuera Jaimes}, R. and Fontes, {C. J.} and Fujii, {Y. I.} and Fynbo, {J. P. U.} and Gompertz, {B. P.} and J. Greiner and G. Hodosan and Irwin, {M. J.} and P. Jakobsson and J{\o}rgensen, {U. G.} and Kann, {D. A.} and Lyman, {J. D.} and D. Malesani and McMahon, {R. G.} and A. Melandri and O{\textquoteright}Brien, {P. T.} and Osborne, {J. P.} and E. Palazzi and Perley, {D. A.} and E. Pian and S. Piranomonte and M. Rabus and E. Rol and A. Rowlinson and S. Schulze and P. Sutton and Th{\"o}ne, {C. C.} and K. Ulaczyk and D. Watson and K. Wiersema and Wijers, {R. A. M. J.}",

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doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6",

language = "English",

volume = "848",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "2",

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Tanvir, NR, Levan, AJ, González-Fernández, C, Korobkin, O, Mandel, I, Rosswog, S, Hjorth, J, D’Avanzo, P, Fruchter, AS, Fryer, CL, Kangas, T, Milvang-Jensen, B, Rosetti, S, Steeghs, D, Wollaeger, RT, Cano, Z, Copperwheat, CM, Covino, S, D’Elia, V, Postigo, ADU, Evans, PA, Even, WP, Fairhurst, S, Figuera Jaimes, R, Fontes, CJ, Fujii, YI, Fynbo, JPU, Gompertz, BP, Greiner, J, Hodosan, G, Irwin, MJ, Jakobsson, P, Jørgensen, UG, Kann, DA, Lyman, JD, Malesani, D, McMahon, RG, Melandri, A, O’Brien, PT, Osborne, JP, Palazzi, E, Perley, DA, Pian, E, Piranomonte, S, Rabus, M, Rol, E, Rowlinson, A, Schulze, S, Sutton, P, Thöne, CC, Ulaczyk, K, Watson, D, Wiersema, K & Wijers, RAMJ 2017, 'The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 848, no. 2, L27. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

TY - JOUR

T1 - The emergence of a lanthanide-rich kilonova following the merger of two neutron stars

AU - Tanvir, N. R.

AU - Levan, A. J.

AU - González-Fernández, C.

AU - Korobkin, O.

AU - Mandel, I.

AU - Rosswog, S.

AU - Hjorth, J.

AU - D’Avanzo, P.

AU - Fruchter, A. S.

AU - Fryer, C. L.

AU - Kangas, T.

AU - Milvang-Jensen, B.

AU - Rosetti, S.

AU - Steeghs, D.

AU - Wollaeger, R. T.

AU - Cano, Z.

AU - Copperwheat, C. M.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - D’Elia, V.

AU - Postigo, A. de Ugarte

AU - Evans, P. A.

AU - Even, W. P.

AU - Fairhurst, S.

AU - Figuera Jaimes, R.

AU - Fontes, C. J.

AU - Fujii, Y. I.

AU - Fynbo, J. P. U.

AU - Gompertz, B. P.

AU - Greiner, J.

AU - Hodosan, G.

AU - Irwin, M. J.

AU - Jakobsson, P.

AU - Jørgensen, U. G.

AU - Kann, D. A.

AU - Lyman, J. D.

AU - Malesani, D.

AU - McMahon, R. G.

AU - Melandri, A.

AU - O’Brien, P. T.

AU - Osborne, J. P.

AU - Palazzi, E.

AU - Perley, D. A.

AU - Pian, E.

AU - Piranomonte, S.

AU - Rabus, M.

AU - Rol, E.

AU - Rowlinson, A.

AU - Schulze, S.

AU - Sutton, P.

AU - Thöne, C. C.

AU - Ulaczyk, K.

AU - Watson, D.

AU - Wiersema, K.

AU - Wijers, R. A. M. J.

PY - 2017/10/16

Y1 - 2017/10/16

N2 - 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 Ks-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 ≈ 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.

AB - 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 Ks-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 ≈ 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.

KW - Gravitational waves

KW - Nuclear reactions

KW - Nucleosynthesis

KW - Abundances

KW - Stars: neutron

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa90b6

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 848

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L27

ER -

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

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Keywords

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