The X-ray Counterpart to the Gravitational Wave Event GW170817
Abstract
The second run of advanced LIGO led to the breakthrough discovery of the first gravitational wave (GW) signal from a neutron star merger, GW170817, coincident with a short duration gamma-ray burst, at a distance of 40 Mpc. The discovery of GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterparts marked the beginning of a new era of multi-messenger astrophysics, in which photons and gravitational waves provide complementary views of the same source.I will present the discovery and long-term monitoring of the X-ray counterpart associated with GW170817. While the electromagnetic counterpart at optical and infrared frequencies was dominated by the radioactive glow from freshly synthesized r-process material in the merger ejecta, known as kilonova, observations at X-ray and, later, radio frequencies revealed the emergence of a relativistic, structured outflow interacting with the surrounding low-density environment. I will discuss the key results of our multi-wavelength campaign, the open questions raised by this event, and future prospects for observations with the Athena X-ray Observatory.
- Publication:
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42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018cosp...42E3431T