Other
Scientific paper
Sep 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011head...12.2302m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #12, #23.02
Other
Scientific paper
The most promising astrophysical sources of gravitational waves (GWs) for ground-based interferometers such as Advanced LIGO are the inspiral and merger of binary neutron star (NS) and black hole systems. Maximizing the benefits of a GW detection will require identifying a coincident electromagnetic (EM) counterpart. One possible source of bright EM emission is a gamma-ray burst (GRB), powered by accretion following the merger. However, for typical viewers outside the opening angle of the GRB jet, prompt emission may be difficult to detect. Another source of isotropic EM emission from NS mergers is a supernova-like optical transient (`kilo-nova'), powered by the radioactive decay of heavy elements synthesized in the ejecta . I will present the first calculations of the optical transients from NS mergers that self consistently determine the radioactive heating using a nuclear reaction network and which determine the resulting light curve with a Monte Carlo radiation transfer calculation. I will compare the predicted brightness and duration of the kilo-nova to the expected off-axis (`orphan') afterglow emission, in order to assess the optimal EM follow-up strategy following a future GW detection.
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