Related papers: Spectroscopic identification of r-process nucleosy…

Optical emission from a kilonova following a gravitational-wave-detected neutron-star merger

The merger of two neutron stars has been predicted to produce an optical-infrared transient (lasting a few days) known as a 'kilonova', powered by the radioactive decay of neutron-rich species synthesized in the merger. Evidence that short…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-10-17 Iair Arcavi , Griffin Hosseinzadeh , D. Andrew Howell , Curtis McCully , Dovi Poznanski , Daniel Kasen , Jennifer Barnes , Michael Zaltzman , Sergiy Vasylyev , Dan Maoz , Stefano Valenti

The Emergence of a Lanthanide-Rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars

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 LIGO/Virgo (GW170817) and as a short gamma-ray burst by Fermi/GBM…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-10-17 N. R. Tanvir , A. J. Levan , C. Gonzalez-Fernandez , 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. Jorgensen , 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. Thoene , K. Ulaczyk , D. Watson , K. Wiersema , R. A. M. J. Wijers

Gamma-rays from kilonova: a potential probe of r-process nucleosynthesis

The mergers of compact binaries with at least one neutron star component are the potential leading sites of the production and ejection of $r$-process elements. Discoveries of galactic binary pulsars, short gamma-ray bursts, and…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2020-04-10 Oleg Korobkin , Aimee M. Hungerford , Christopher L. Fryer , Matthew R. Mumpower , G. Wendell Misch , Trevor M. Sprouse , Jonas Lippuner , Rebecca Surman , Aaron J. Couture , Peter F. Bloser , Farzane Shirazi , Wesley P. Even , W. Thomas Vestrand , Richard S. Miller

Origin of the heavy elements in binary neutron-star mergers from a gravitational wave event

The cosmic origin of the elements heavier than iron has long been uncertain. Theoretical modelling shows that the matter that is expelled in the violent merger of two neutron stars can assemble into heavy elements such as gold and platinum…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-10-17 Daniel Kasen , Brian Metzger , Jennifer Barnes , Eliot Quataert , Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz

A kilonova as the electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational-wave source

Gravitational waves were discovered with the detection of binary black hole mergers and they should also be detectable from lower mass neutron star mergers. These are predicted to eject material rich in heavy radioactive isotopes that can…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-10-18 S. J. Smartt , T. -W. Chen , A. Jerkstrand , M. Coughlin , E. Kankare , S. A. Sim , M. Fraser , C. Inserra , K. Maguire , K. C. Chambers , M. E. Huber , T. Kruhler , G. Leloudas , M. Magee , L. J. Shingles , K. W. Smith , D. R. Young , J. Tonry , R. Kotak , A. Gal-Yam , J. D. Lyman , D. S. Homan , C. Agliozzo , J. P. Anderson , C. R. Angus C. Ashall , C. Barbarino , F. E. Bauer , M. Berton , M. T. Botticella , M. Bulla , J. Bulger , G. Cannizzaro , Z. Cano , R. Cartier , A. Cikota , P. Clark , A. De Cia , M. Della Valle , L. Denneau , M. Dennefeld , L. Dessart , G. Dimitriadis , N. Elias-Rosa , R. E. Firth , H. Flewelling , A. Flors , A. Franckowiak , C. Frohmaier , L. Galbany , S. Gonzalez-Gaitan , J. Greiner , M. Gromadzki , A. Nicuesa Guelbenzu , C. P. Gutierrez , A. Hamanowicz , L. Hanlon , J. Harmanen , K. E. Heintz , A. Heinze , M. -S. Hernandez , S. T. Hodgkin , I. M. Hook , L. Izzo , P. A. James , P. G. Jonker , W. E. Kerzendorf , S. Klose , Z. Kostrzewa-Rutkowska , M. Kowalski , M. Kromer , H. Kuncarayakti , A. Lawrence , T. B. Lowe , E. A. Magnier , I. Manulis , A. Martin-Carrillo , S. Mattila , O. McBrien , A. Muller , J. Nordin , D. O'Neill , F. Onori , J. T. Palmerio , A. Pastorello , F. Patat , G. Pignata , Ph. Podsiadlowski , M. L. Pumo , S. J. Prentice , A. Rau , A. Razza , A. Rest , T. Reynolds , R. Roy , A. J. Ruiter , K. A. Rybicki , L. Salmon , P. Schady , A. S. B. Schultz , T. Schweyer , I. R. Seitenzahl , M. Smith , J. Sollerman , B. Stalder , C. W. Stubbs , M. Sullivan , H. Szegedi , F. Taddia , S. Taubenberger , G. Terreran , B. van Soelen , J. Vos , R. J. Wainscoat , N. A. Walton , C. Waters , H. Weiland , M. Willman , P. Wiseman , D. E. Wright , L. Wyrzykowski , O. Yaron

Kilonovae

The coalescence of double neutron star (NS-NS) and black hole (BH)-NS binaries are prime sources of gravitational waves (GW) for Advanced LIGO/Virgo and future ground-based detectors. Neutron-rich matter released from such events undergo…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2020-01-08 Brian D. Metzger

Kilonova from post-merger ejecta as an optical and near-infrared counterpart of GW170817

Recent detection of gravitational waves from a neutron star (NS) merger event GW170817 and identification of an electromagnetic counterpart provide a unique opportunity to study the physical processes in NS mergers. To derive properties of…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-10-17 Masaomi Tanaka , Yousuke Utsumi , Paolo A. Mazzali , Nozomu Tominaga , Michitoshi Yoshida , Yuichiro Sekiguchi , Tomoki Morokuma , Kentaro Motohara , Kouji Ohta , Koji S. Kawabata , Fumio Abe , Kentaro Aoki , Yuichiro Asakura , Stefan Baar , Sudhanshu Barway , Ian A. Bond , Mamoru Doi , Takuya Fujiyoshi , Hisanori Furusawa , Satoshi Honda , Yoichi Itoh , Miho Kawabata , Nobuyuki Kawai , Ji Hoon Kim , Chien-Hsiu Lee , Shota Miyazaki , Kumiko Morihana , Hiroki Nagashima , Takahiro Nagayama , Tatsuya Nakaoka , Fumiaki Nakata , Ryou Ohsawa , Tomohito Ohshima , Hirofumi Okita , Tomoki Saito , Takahiro Sumi , Akito Tajitsu , Jun Takahashi , Masaki Takayama , Yoichi Tamura , Ichi Tanaka , Tsuyoshi Terai , Paul J. Tristram , Naoki Yasuda , Tetsuya Zenko

Kilonova/Macronova Emission from Compact Binary Mergers

We review current understanding of kilonova/macronova emission from compact binary mergers (mergers of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole). Kilonova/macronova is optical and near-infrared emission powered by radioactive…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2016-07-27 Masaomi Tanaka

On r-process nucleosynthesis from matter ejected in binary neutron starmergers

When binary systems of neutron stars merge, a very small fraction of their rest mass is ejected, either dynamically or secularly. This material is neutron-rich and its nucleosynthesis could provide the astrophysical site for the production…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2017-12-13 Luke Bovard , Dirk Martin , Federico Guercilena , Almudena Arcones , Luciano Rezzolla , Oleg Korobkin

Heavy element nucleosynthesis associated with a gamma-ray burst

Kilonovae are a novel class of astrophysical transients, and the only observationally-confirmed site of rapid neutron capture nucleosynthesis (the r-process) in the Universe. To date, only a handful of kilonovae have been detected, with…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2023-08-02 James H. Gillanders , Eleonora Troja , Chris L. Fryer , Marko Ristic , Brendan O'Connor , Christopher J. Fontes , Yu-Han Yang , Nanae Domoto , Salma Rahmouni , Masaomi Tanaka , Ori D. Fox , Simone Dichiara

Modelling the spectra of the kilonova AT2017gfo -- II: Beyond the photospheric epochs

Binary neutron star mergers are the first confirmed site of element nucleosynthesis by the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process). The kilonova AT2017gfo is the only electromagnetic counterpart of a neutron star merger spectroscopically…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2023-11-28 J. H. Gillanders , S. A. Sim , S. J. Smartt , S. Goriely , A. Bauswein

GW170817$-$the first observed neutron star merger and its kilonova: implications for the astrophysical site of the r-process

The first neutron star (NS) merger observed by advanced LIGO and Virgo, GW170817, and its fireworks of electromagnetic counterparts across the entire electromagnetic spectrum marked the beginning of multi-messenger astronomy and…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2019-12-24 Daniel M. Siegel

A short gamma-ray burst from a proto-magnetar remnant

The contemporaneous detection of gravitational waves and gamma rays from the GW170817/GRB 170817A, followed by kilonova emission a day after, confirmed compact binary neutron-star mergers as progenitors of short-duration gamma-ray bursts…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2022-11-14 N. Jordana-Mitjans , C. G. Mundell , C. Guidorzi , R. J. Smith , E. Ramirez-Ruiz , B. D. Metzger , S. Kobayashi , A. Gomboc , I. A. Steele , M. Shrestha , M. Marongiu , A. Rossi , B. Rothberg

Identification of strontium in the merger of two neutron stars

Half of all the elements in the universe heavier than iron were created by rapid neutron capture. The theory for this astrophysical `$r$-process' was worked out six decades ago and requires an enormous neutron flux to make the bulk of these…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2019-10-24 Darach Watson , Camilla J. Hansen , Jonatan Selsing , Andreas Koch , Daniele B. Malesani , Anja C. Andersen , Johan P. U. Fynbo , Almudena Arcones , Andreas Bauswein , Stefano Covino , Aniello Grado , Kasper E. Heintz , Leslie Hunt , Chryssa Kouveliotou , Giorgos Leloudas , Andrew Levan , Paolo Mazzali , Elena Pian

Kilonovae and Long-duration Gamma-ray Bursts

Recent detections of kilonova-like emission following long-duration gamma-ray bursts GRB211211A and GRB230307A have been interpreted as originating from the merger of two neutron stars. In this work, we demonstrate that these observations…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2026-04-28 Marko Ristić , Brandon L. Barker , Samuel Cupp , Axel Gross , Nicole Lloyd-Ronning , Oleg Korobkin , Jonah M. Miller , Matthew R. Mumpower

Spectroscopic r-Process Abundance Retrieval for Kilonovae III: Linking Spectral and Light Curve Modeling of the GW170817 Kilonova

The observed spectra and light curves of the kilonova produced by the GW170817 binary neutron star merger provide complementary insights, but modeling both the spectral- and time-domain has proven challenging. Here, we model the…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2025-11-14 Nicholas Vieira , John J. Ruan , Daryl Haggard , Maria R. Drout , Rodrigo Fernández

A Kilonova Following a Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Burst at 350 Mpc

Here, we report the discovery of a kilonova associated with the nearby (350 Mpc) minute-duration GRB 211211A. In tandem with deep optical limits that rule out the presence of an accompanying supernova to $M_I > -13$ mag at 17.7 days…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2022-12-21 J. C. Rastinejad , B. P. Gompertz , A. J. Levan , W. Fong , M. Nicholl , G. P. Lamb , D. B. Malesani , A. E. Nugent , S. R. Oates , N. R. Tanvir , A. de Ugarte Postigo , C. D. Kilpatrick , C. J. Moore , B. D. Metzger , M. E. Ravasio , A. Rossi , G. Schroeder , J. Jencson , D. J. Sand , N. Smith , J. F. Agüí Fernández , E. Berger , P. K. Blanchard , R. Chornock , B. E. Cobb , M. De Pasquale , J. P. U. Fynbo , L. Izzo , D. A. Kann , T. Laskar , E. Marini , K. Paterson , A. Rouco Escorial , H. M. Sears , C. C. Thöne

JWST detection of heavy neutron capture elements in a compact object merger

The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), sources of high-frequency gravitational waves and…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2024-02-09 A. Levan , B. P. Gompertz , O. S. Salafia , M. Bulla , E. Burns , K. Hotokezaka , L. Izzo , G. P. Lamb , D. B. Malesani , S. R. Oates , M. E. Ravasio , A. Rouco Escorial , B. Schneider , N. Sarin , S. Schulze , N. R. Tanvir , K. Ackley , G. Anderson , G. B. Brammer , L. Christensen , V. S. Dhillon , P. A. Evans , M. Fausnaugh , W. -F. Fong , A. S. Fruchter , C. Fryer , J. P. U. Fynbo , N. Gaspari , K. E. Heintz , J. Hjorth , J. A. Kennea , M. R. Kennedy , T. Laskar , G. Leloudas , I. Mandel , A. Martin-Carrillo , B. D. Metzger , M. Nicholl , A. Nugent , J. T. Palmerio , G. Pugliese , J. Rastinejad , L. Rhodes , A. Rossi , S. J. Smartt , H. F. Stevance , A. Tohuvavohu , A. van der Horst , S. D. Vergani , D. Watson , T. Barclay , K. Bhirombhakdi , E. Breedt , A. A. Breeveld , A. J. Brown , S. Campana , A. A. Chrimes , P. D'Avanzo , V. D'Elia , M. De Pasquale , M. J. Dyer , D. K. Galloway , J. A. Garbutt , M. J. Green , D. H. Hartmann , P. Jakobsson , P. Kerry , D. Langeroodi , J. K. Leung , S. P. Littlefair , J. Munday , P. O'Brien , S. G. Parsons , I. Pelisoli , A. Saccardi , D. I. Sahman , R. Salvaterra , B. Sbarufatti , D. Steeghs , G. Tagliaferri , C. C. Thöne , A. de Ugarte Postigo , D. A. Kann

Kilonovae

The mergers of double neutron star (NS-NS) and black hole (BH)-NS binaries are promising gravitational wave (GW) sources for Advanced LIGO and future GW detectors. The neutron-rich ejecta from such merger events undergoes rapid neutron…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2017-07-19 Brian D. Metzger

r-Process and Kilonovae

The kilonova associated with the neutron star merger GW170817 provides us with several hints to elucidate the nature of the r-process in the universe. In this article, we inspect the radioactive isotopes that powered the kilonova emission,…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2019-11-06 Shinya Wanajo