![]() |
![]() |
University of Birmingham > Talks@bham > Astrophysics Seminars > The kilonova counterpart to GW170817
The kilonova counterpart to GW170817Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal
If you have a question about this talk, please contact Ilya Mandel. On 17 August 2017, the LIGO -Virgo gravitational wave observatories detected a compact binary merger with a difference: for the first time, the component masses were consistent with neutron stars rather than black holes. Moreover, the Fermi satellite simultaneously detected a short gamma-ray burst from a consistent sky position, marking the beginning of joint GW-EM astronomy. I will describe our discovery of the optical counterpart using the Dark Energy Camera, and subsequent follow-up in optical, infrared, UV, X-ray and radio. The wealth of data reveals multiple emission components including a relativistic jet and the first clear evidence for a radioactive ‘kilonova’ comprised of r-process ejecta, proving that neutron star mergers are a key source of the heaviest elements. I will show how our modelling of the transient and its host galaxy sheds light on the physical conditions in the system and its pre-merger history. This talk is part of the Astrophysics Seminars series. This talk is included in these lists:Note that ex-directory lists are not shown. |
Other listsSeminars on Advanced Materials Computer Science Distinguished Seminars Dinner Table Terrorism - Achieving Food SecurityOther talksOptical fiber sensing based on nanostructured coatings FnS - Teaching robots to grasp stuff Gravitational waves from black holes and neutron stars Turán densities for hypergraph with quasirandom links Cross-study Bayesian Factor Regression in Heterogeneous High-dimensional Data Collective phenomena in excitonic quantum matter |