Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger [electronic resource].
- Published
- Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy. High Energy Physics Division, 2017.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy - Physical Description
- Article numbers L12 : digital, PDF file
- Additional Creators
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States. Department of Energy. High Energy Physics Division, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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- Restrictions on Access
- Free-to-read Unrestricted online access
- Summary
- Here, on 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of $\sim 1.7\,{\rm{s}}$ with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of ${40}_{-8}^{+8}$ Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 $\,{M}_{\odot }$. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at $\sim 40\,{\rm{Mpc}}$) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One-Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position $\sim 9$ and $\sim 16$ days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC 4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta.
- Report Numbers
- E 1.99:ligo--p1700294
E 1.99: vir--0802a-17
E 1.99: fermilab-pub--17-478-a-ae-cd
E 1.99: arxiv:1710.05833
arxiv:1710.05833
fermilab-pub--17-478-a-ae-cd
vir--0802a-17
ligo--p1700294 - Subject(s)
- Other Subject(s)
- Note
- Published through SciTech Connect.
10/16/2017.
"ligo--p1700294"
" vir--0802a-17"
" fermilab-pub--17-478-a-ae-cd"
" arxiv:1710.05833"
"1630825"
The Astrophysical Journal. Letters 848 2 ISSN 2041-8213 AM
Abbott, B.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R.; Adya, V.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P.; Amato, A.; et al. - Funding Information
- AC02-07CH11359
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