Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger (original) (raw)
ADS
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- Abbott, R. ;
- Abbott, T. D. ;
- Acernese, F. ;
- Ackley, K. ;
- Adams, C. ;
- Adams, T. ;
- Addesso, P. ;
- Adhikari, R. X. ;
- Adya, V. B. ;
- Affeldt, C. ;
- Afrough, M. ;
- Agarwal, B. ;
- Agathos, M. ;
- Agatsuma, K. ;
- Aggarwal, N. ;
- Aguiar, O. D. ;
- Aiello, L. ;
- Ain, A. ;
- Ajith, P. ;
- Allen, B. ;
- Allen, G. ;
- Allocca, A. ;
- Altin, P. A. ;
- Amato, A. ;
- Ananyeva, A. ;
- Anderson, S. B. ;
- Anderson, W. G. ;
- Angelova, S. V. ;
- Antier, S. ;
- Appert, S. ;
- Arai, K. ;
- Araya, M. C. ;
- Areeda, J. S. ;
- Arnaud, N. ;
- Arun, K. G. ;
- Ascenzi, S. ;
- Ashton, G. ;
- Ast, M. ;
- Aston, S. M. ;
- Astone, P. ;
- Atallah, D. V. ;
- Aufmuth, P. ;
- Aulbert, C. ;
- AultONeal, K. ;
- Austin, C. ;
- Avila-Alvarez, A. ;
- Babak, S. ;
- Bacon, P. ;
- Bader, M. K. M.
- and 3627 more
Abstract
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 ∼ 1.7 {{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}⊙ . 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 ∼ 40 {{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 ∼ 9 and ∼ 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.
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Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal
Pub Date:
October 2017
DOI:
arXiv:
Bibcode:
Keywords:
- gravitational waves;
- stars: neutron;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
E-Print:
This is a reproduction of the article published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence