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English Wikipedia
Kilonovae
#MMPMID28579916
Metzger BD
Living Rev Relativ
2017[]; 20
(1
): 3
PMID28579916
show ga
The mergers of double neutron star (NS-NS) and black hole (BH)-NS binaries are
promising gravitational wave (GW) sources for Advanced LIGO and future GW
detectors. The neutron-rich ejecta from such merger events undergoes rapid
neutron capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis, enriching our Galaxy with rare heavy
elements like gold and platinum. The radioactive decay of these unstable nuclei
also powers a rapidly evolving, supernova-like transient known as a "kilonova"
(also known as "macronova"). Kilonovae are an approximately isotropic
electromagnetic counterpart to the GW signal, which also provides a unique and
direct probe of an important, if not dominant, r-process site. I review the
history and physics of kilonovae, leading to the current paradigm of week-long
emission with a spectral peak at near-infrared wavelengths. Using a simple light
curve model to illustrate the basic physics, I introduce potentially important
variations on this canonical picture, including: [Formula: see text]day-long
optical ("blue") emission from lanthanide-free components of the ejecta;
[Formula: see text]hour-long precursor UV/blue emission, powered by the decay of
free neutrons in the outermost ejecta layers; and enhanced emission due to energy
input from a long-lived central engine, such as an accreting BH or millisecond
magnetar. I assess the prospects of kilonova detection following future GW
detections of NS-NS/BH-NS mergers in light of the recent follow-up campaign of
the LIGO binary BH-BH mergers.
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