| 1. |
- Smartt, S. J., et al.
(författare)
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A kilonova as the electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational-wave source
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 551:7678, s. 75-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gravitational waves were discovered with the detection of binary black-hole mergers(1) 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 power an electromagnetic signal. This signal is luminous at optical and infrared wavelengths and is called a kilonova(2-5). The gravitational-wave source GW170817 arose from a binary neutron-star merger in the nearby Universe with a relatively well confined sky position and distance estimate(6). Here we report observations and physical modelling of a rapidly fading electromagnetic transient in the galaxy NGC 4993, which is spatially coincident with GW170817 and with a weak, short.-ray burst(7,8). The transient has physical parameters that broadly match the theoretical predictions of blue kilonovae from neutron-star mergers. The emitted electromagnetic radiation can be explained with an ejected mass of 0.04 +/- 0.01 solar masses, with an opacity of less than 0.5 square centimetres per gram, at a velocity of 0.2 +/- 0.1 times light speed. The power source is constrained to have a power-law slope of -1.2 +/- 0.3, consistent with radioactive powering from r-process nuclides. (The r-process is a series of neutron capture reactions that synthesise many of the elements heavier than iron.) We identify line features in the spectra that are consistent with light r-process elements (atomic masses of 90-140). As it fades, the transient rapidly becomes red, and a higher-opacity, lanthanide-rich ejecta component may contribute to the emission. This indicates that neutron-star mergers produce gravitational waves and radioactively powered kilonovae, and are a nucleosynthetic source of the r-process elements.
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| 2. |
- Andrews, Jennifer E., et al.
(författare)
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SN 2017gmr : An Energetic Type II-P Supernova with Asymmetries
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 885:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present high-cadence UV, optical, and near-infrared data on the luminous Type II-P supernova SN;2017gmr from hours after discovery through the first 180 days. SN;2017gmr does not show signs of narrow, high-ionization emission lines in the early optical spectra, yet the optical light-curve evolution suggests that an extra energy source from circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction must be present for at least 2 days after explosion. Modeling of the early light curve indicates a ?500 R progenitor radius, consistent with a rather compact red supergiant, and late-time luminosities indicate that up to 0.130;;0.026 M of Ni-56 are present, if the light curve is solely powered by radioactive decay, although the Ni-56 mass may be lower if CSM interaction contributes to the post-plateau luminosity. Prominent multipeaked emission lines of H? and [O i] emerge after day 154, as a result of either an asymmetric explosion or asymmetries in the CSM. The lack of narrow lines within the first 2 days of explosion in the likely presence of CSM interaction may be an example of close, dense, asymmetric CSM that is quickly enveloped by the spherical supernova ejecta.
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| 3. |
- Pastorello, A., et al.
(författare)
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Luminous red novae : Stellar mergers or giant eruptions?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 630
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present extensive datasets for a class of intermediate-luminosity optical transients known as luminous red novae. They show double-peaked light curves, with an initial rapid luminosity rise to a blue peak (at -13 to -15 mag), which is followed by a longer-duration red peak that sometimes is attenuated, resembling a plateau. The progenitors of three of them (NGC 4490-2011OT1, M 101-2015OT1, and SNhunt248), likely relatively massive blue to yellow stars, were also observed in a pre-eruptive stage when their luminosity was slowly increasing. Early spectra obtained during the first peak show a blue continuum with superposed prominent narrow Balmer lines, with P Cygni profiles. Lines of Fe II are also clearly observed, mostly in emission. During the second peak, the spectral continuum becomes much redder, H alpha is barely detected, and a forest of narrow metal lines is observed in absorption. Very late-time spectra (similar to 6 months after blue peak) show an extremely red spectral continuum, peaking in the infrared (IR) domain. H alpha is detected in pure emission at such late phases, along with broad absorption bands due to molecular overtones (such as TiO, VO). We discuss a few alternative scenarios for luminous red novae. Although major instabilities of single massive stars cannot be definitely ruled out, we favour a common envelope ejection in a close binary system, with possibly a final coalescence of the two stars. The similarity between luminous red novae and the outburst observed a few months before the explosion of the Type IIn SN 2011ht is also discussed.
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