The Emergence of a Lanthanide-rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Tanvir, N. R.
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Levan, A. J.
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González-Fernández, C.
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Korobkin, O.
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Mandel, I.
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Rosswog, S.
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Hjorth, J.
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•
Fruchter, A. S.
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Fryer, C. L.
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Kangas, T.
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Milvang-Jensen, B.
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Rosetti, S.
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Steeghs, D.
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Wollaeger, R. T.
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Cano, Z.
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Copperwheat, C. M.
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•
D'Elia, V.
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de Ugarte Postigo, A.
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Evans, P. A.
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Even, W. P.
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Fairhurst, S.
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Figuera Jaimes, R.
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Fontes, C. J.
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Fujii, Y. I.
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Fynbo, J. P. U.
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Gompertz, B. P.
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Greiner, J.
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Hodosan, G.
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Irwin, M. J.
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Jakobsson, P.
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Jørgensen, U. G.
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Kann, D. A.
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Lyman, J. D.
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Malesani, D.
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McMahon, R. G.
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O'Brien, P. T.
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Osborne, J. P.
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Perley, D. A.
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•
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Rabus, M.
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Rol, E.
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Rowlinson, A.
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Schulze, S.
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Sutton, P.
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Thöne, C. C.
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Ulaczyk, K.
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Watson, D.
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Wiersema, K.
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Wijers, R. A. M. J.
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.
Volume
848
Issue
2
Start page
L27
Issn Identifier
2041-8205
Ads BibCode
2017ApJ...848L..27T
Rights
open.access
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