scholarly journals Low-Γ jets from Compact Binary Mergers as Candidate Electromagnetic Counterparts to Gravitational Wave Sources

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S324) ◽  
pp. 66-69
Author(s):  
Gavin P. Lamb ◽  
Shiho Kobayashi

AbstractCompact binary mergers, with neutron stars or neutron star and black-hole components, are thought to produce various electromagnetic counterparts: short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) from ultra-relativistic jets followed by broadband afterglow; semi-isotropic kilonova from radioactive decay of r-process elements; and late time radio flares; etc. If the jets from such mergers follow a similar power-law distribution of Lorentz factors as other astrophysical jets then the population of merger jets will be dominated by low-Γ values. The prompt gamma-rays associated with short GRBs would be suppressed for a low-Γ jet and the jet energy will be released as X-ray/optical/radio transients when a shock forms in the ambient medium. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we study the properties of such transients as candidate electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave sources detectable by LIGO/Virgo. Approximately 78% of merger-jets result in failed GRB with optical peaks 14-22 magnitude and an all-sky rate of 2-3 per year.

Author(s):  
Stephan Rosswog

Compact object mergers eject neutron-rich matter in a number of ways: by the dynamical ejection mediated by gravitational torques, as neutrino-driven winds, and probably also a good fraction of the resulting accretion disc finally becomes unbound by a combination of viscous and nuclear processes. If compact binary mergers indeed produce gamma-ray bursts, there should also be an interaction region where an ultra-relativistic outflow interacts with the neutrino-driven wind and produces moderately relativistic ejecta. Each type of ejecta has different physical properties, and therefore plays a different role for nucleosynthesis and for the electromagnetic (EM) transients that go along with compact object encounters. Here, we focus on the dynamic ejecta and present results for over 30 hydrodynamical simulations of both gravitational wave-driven mergers and parabolic encounters as they may occur in globular clusters. We find that mergers eject approximately 1 per cent of a Solar mass of extremely neutron-rich material. The exact amount, as well as the ejection velocity, depends on the involved masses with asymmetric systems ejecting more material at higher velocities. This material undergoes a robust r-process and both ejecta amount and abundance pattern are consistent with neutron star mergers being a major source of the ‘heavy’ ( A >130) r-process isotopes. Parabolic collisions, especially those between neutron stars and black holes, eject substantially larger amounts of mass, and therefore cannot occur frequently without overproducing gala- ctic r-process matter. We also discuss the EM transients that are powered by radioactive decays within the ejecta (‘macronovae’), and the radio flares that emerge when the ejecta dissipate their large kinetic energies in the ambient medium.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S290) ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
Liang Li ◽  
En-Wei Liang ◽  
He Gao ◽  
Bing Zhang

AbstractWell-sampled optical lightcurves of 146 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are compiled from literature. We identify possible emission components based on our empirical fits and present statistical analysis for these components. We find that the flares are related to prompt emission, suggesting that they could have the same origin in different episodes. The shallow decay segment is not correlated with prompt gamma-rays. It likely signals a long-lasting injected wind from GRB central engines. Early after onset peak is closely related with prompt emission. The ambient medium density profile is likely n ∝ r−1. No correlation between the late re-brightening bump and prompt gamma-rays or the onset bump is found. They may be from another jet component.


Author(s):  
P. T. O'Brien ◽  
P. Evans

The dawn of the gravitational-wave (GW) era has sparked a greatly renewed interest into possible links between sources of high-energy radiation and GWs. The most luminous high-energy sources—gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)—have long been considered as very likely sources of GWs, particularly from short-duration GRBs, which are thought to originate from the merger of two compact objects such as binary neutron stars and a neutron star–black hole binary. In this paper, we discuss: (i) the high-energy emission from short-duration GRBs; (ii) what other sources of high-energy radiation may be observed from binary mergers; and (iii) how searches for high-energy electromagnetic counterparts to GW events are performed with current space facilities. While current high-energy facilities, such as Swift and Fermi, play a crucial role in the search for electromagnetic counterparts, new space missions will greatly enhance our capabilities for joint observations. We discuss why such facilities, which incorporate new technology that enables very wide-field X-ray imaging, are required if we are to truly exploit the multi-messenger era. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The promises of gravitational-wave astronomy’.


2020 ◽  
Vol 893 (2) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Hamburg ◽  
C. Fletcher ◽  
E. Burns ◽  
A. Goldstein ◽  
E. Bissaldi ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Takeda ◽  
Atsushi Nishizawa ◽  
Koji Nagano ◽  
Yuta Michimura ◽  
Kentaro Komori ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaomi Tanaka

We review current understanding of kilonova/macronova emission from compact binary mergers (mergers of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole). Kilonova/macronova is emission powered by radioactive decays ofr-process nuclei and it is one of the most promising electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources. Emission from the dynamical ejecta of ~0.01M⊙is likely to have a luminosity of ~1040–1041 erg s−1with a characteristic timescale of about 1 week. The spectral peak is located in red optical or near-infrared wavelengths. A subsequent accretion disk wind may provide an additional luminosity or an earlier/bluer emission if it is not absorbed by the precedent dynamical ejecta. The detection of near-infrared excess in short GRB 130603B and possible optical excess in GRB 060614 supports the concept of the kilonova/macronova scenario. At 200 Mpc distance, a typical peak brightness of kilonova/macronova with0.01M⊙ejecta is about 22 mag and the emission rapidly fades to >24 mag within ~10 days. Kilonova/macronova candidates can be distinguished from supernovae by (1) the faster time evolution, (2) fainter absolute magnitudes, and (3) redder colors. Since the high expansion velocity (v~0.1–0.2c) is a robust outcome of compact binary mergers, the detection of smooth spectra will be the smoking gun to conclusively identify the gravitational wave source.


2014 ◽  
Vol 789 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Yonetoku ◽  
Takashi Nakamura ◽  
Tatsuya Sawano ◽  
Keitaro Takahashi ◽  
Asuka Toyanago

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