Related papers: Fallback Accretion Halted by R-process Heating in …
We explore the effects of r-process nucleosynthesis on fall-back accretion in neutron star(NS)-NS and black hole-NS mergers, and the resulting implications for short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Though dynamically important, the energy…
Mergers of compact binaries containing two neutron stars (NS-NS), or a neutron star and a stellar-mass black hole (NS-BH), are likely progenitors of short-duration gamma ray bursts (SGRBs). A fraction >20% of SGRBs are followed by…
A new component was reported in the X-ray counterpart to the binary neutron-star merger and gravitational wave event GW170817, exceeding the afterglow emission from an off-axis structured jet. The afterglow emission from the…
Using a set of general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations that include proper neutrino transfer, we assess for the first time the role played by the fallback accretion onto the remnant from a binary neutron-star merger over a…
We study the long-term (t >> 10 s) evolution of the accretion disk after a neutron star(NS)-NS or NS-black hole merger, taking into account the radioactive heating by r-process nuclei formed in the first few seconds. We find that the…
It seems that the wealth of information revealed by the multi-messenger observations of the binary neutron star (NS) merger event, GW170817/GRB 170817A/kilonova AT2017gfo, places irreconcilable constraints to models of the prompt emission…
We study the heating rate of r-process nuclei and thermalization of decay products in neutron star merger ejecta and macronova (kilonova) light curves. Thermalization of charged decay products, i.e., electrons, $\alpha$-particles, and…
An excess in the X-ray emission from the neutron star merger GW170817 above the predicted afterglow was recently detected t~3.4 years post-merger. One possible origin for the excess is accretion onto the newly unshrouded black hole (BH)…
In the gravitational wave event GW170817, there was a $\sim 10$ hours gap before electromagnetic (EM) observations, without detection of the cocoon. The cocoon is heated by a \textit{short} gamma-ray burst (\textit{s}GRB) jet propagating…
The conditions for the leading r-process site candidate, neutrino-driven winds, can not be reproduced self-consistently in current supernova models. For that reason, we investigate an alternate model involving the mass ejected by fallback…
Neutron star mergers produce $r$-process elements, with yields that are sensitive to the kinematic and thermodynamic properties of the ejecta. These ejecta properties are potentially affected by dynamically-important feedback from…
Rapidly spinning, strongly magnetized proto-neutron stars ("millisecond proto-magnetars") are candidate central engines of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRB), superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), and binary neutron star mergers. Magnetar…
We explore the evolution of the different ejecta components generated during the merger of a neutron star (NS) and a black hole (BH). Our focus is the interplay between material ejected dynamically during the merger, and the wind launched…
We investigate nuclear reactions and feedback in hyperaccreting neutron star environments, considering accretion rates in the range 0.3 - $3\times10^4$ $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$, typical of short-period compact object binaries in common…
This paper provides an overview of the current state of the stripping model for short gamma-ray bursts. After the historical joint detection of the gravitational wave event GW170817 and the accompanying gamma-ray burst GRB170817A, the…
Radioactive energies from unstable nuclei made in the ejecta of neutron star mergers play principal roles in powering kilonovae. In previous studies power-law-type heating rates (e.g., ~ t^-1.3) have frequently been used, which may be…
The merging neutron star gravitational wave event GW170817 has been observed throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to $\gamma$-rays. The resulting energetics, variability, and light curves are shown to be…
Short gamma-ray bursts require a rotating black hole, surrounded by a magnetized relativistic accretion disk, such as the one formed by coalescing binary neutron stars or neutron star - black hole systems. The accretion onto a Kerr black…
Neutron star mergers produce a substantial amount of fast-moving ejecta, expanding outwardly for years after the merger. The interaction of these ejecta with the surrounding medium may produce a weak isotropic radio remnant, detectable in…
We calculate the rate of in-fall of stellar matter on an accretion disk during the collapse of a rapidly rotating massive star, and estimate the luminosity of the relativistic jet that results from accretion on to the central black hole. We…