We consider a simple model for the nonthermal emission from GW170817, in which a quasi-spherical ejecta is released in the merger event, with the kinetic energy distributed over the momentum as E(>γβ)∝(γβ)−k. The ejecta drives a shock into the medium and gives rise to synchrotron radiation. Using multi-band observations we constrain that k≈6.7; (assuming medium density of ∼10−2cm−3 and postshock magnetic field carries a fraction 10−5−10−3 of the postshock internal energy) the total kinetic energy is (0.3−5)×1051erg; the slowest ejecta velocity is ∼(0.7−0.8)c; and the fastest ejecta has a Lorentz factor of ∼4−7. We conclude that the sub-relativistic dynamical ejecta responsible to the kilonova cannot produce the nonthermal emission. The co-existence of the nonthermal and thermal kilonova emission implies that two corresponding ejecta are ejected at different angles.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1804.00365,
title = {Constraining the ejecta for the nonthermal emission from GW170817},
author = {Yan Huang and Zhuo Li},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1804.00365},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
6 pages, 4 figures and 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ