Examinando por Autor "Hunt, L.K."

Mostrando 1 - 2 de 2
  • Miniatura
    Ítem
    Identifying the host galaxy of the short GRB 100628A
    (EDP Sciences, 2015-11) Nicuesa Guelbenzu, A.; Klose, S.; Palazzi, E.; Greiner, J.; Michałowski, M.J.; Kann, D.A.; Hunt, L.K.; Malesani, D.; Rossi, A.; Savaglio, S.; Schulze, S.; Xu, D.; Afonso, P.M.J.; Elliott, J.; Ferrero, P.; Filgas, R.; Hartmann, D.H.; Krühler, T.; Knust, F.; Masetti, N.; Olivares, E. F.; Rau, A.; Schady, P.; Schmidl, S.; Tanga, M.; Updike, A.C.; Varela, K.
    We report on the results of a comprehensive observing campaign to reveal the host galaxy of the short GRB 100628A. This burst was followed by a faint X-ray afterglow but no optical counterpart was discovered. However, inside the X-ray error circle a potential host galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.102 was soon reported in the literature. If this system is the host, then GRB 100628A was the cosmologically most nearby unambiguous short burst with a measured redshift so far. We used the multi-colour imager GROND at the ESO/La Silla MPG 2.2 m telescope, ESO/VLT spectroscopy, and deep Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) radio-continuum observations together with publicly available Gemini imaging data to study the putative host and the galaxies in the field of GRB 100628A. We confirm that inside the X-ray error circle the most probable host-galaxy candidate is the morphologically disturbed, interacting galaxy system at z = 0.102. The interacting galaxies are connected by a several kpc long tidal stream, which our VLT/FORS2 spectroscopy reveals strong emission lines of [O ii], [O iii], Hα and Hβ, characteristic for the class of extreme emission-line galaxies and indicative of ongoing star formation. The latter leaves open the possibility that the GRB progenitor was a member of a young stellar population. However, we indentify a second host-galaxy candidate slightly outside the X-ray error circle. It is a radio-bright, luminous elliptical galaxy at a redshift z = 0.311. With a K-band luminosity of 2 × 1011L this galaxy resembles the probable giant elliptical host of the first well-localized short burst, GRB 050509B. If this is the host, then the progenitor of GRB 100628A was a member of an old stellar population. © ESO, 2015.
  • No hay miniatura disponible
    Ítem
    Spectroscopic identification of r-process nucleosynthesis in a double neutron-star merger
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2017-11) Pian, E.; D'Avanzo, P.; Benetti, S.; Branchesi, M.; Brocato, Campana S.; Cappellaro, E.; Covino, S.; D'Elia, V.; Fynbo, J.P.U.; Getman, F.; Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Grado, A.; Greco, G.; Hjorth, J.; Kouveliotou, C.; Levan, A.; Limatola, L.; Malesani, D.; Mazzali, P.A.; Melandri, A.; Møller, P.; Nicastro, L.; Palazzi, E.; Piranomonte, S.; Rossi, A.; Salafia, O.S.; Selsing, J.; Stratta, G.; Tanaka, M.; Tanvir, N.R.; Tomasella, L.; Watson, D.; Yang, S.; Amati, L.; Antonelli, L.A.; Ascenzi, S.; Bernardini, M.G.; Boër, M.; Bufano, F.; Bulgarelli, A.; Capaccioli, M.; Casella, P.; Castro-Tirado, A.J.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Ciolfi, R.; Copperwheat, C.M.; Dadina, M.; De Cesare, G.; Di Paola, A.; Fan, Y.Z.; Gendre, B.; Giuffrida, G.; Giunta, A.; Hunt, L.K.; Israel, G.L.; Jin, Z.-P.; Kasliwal, M.M.; Klose, S.; Lisi, M.; Longo, F.; Maiorano, E.; Mapelli, M.; Masetti, N.; Nava, L.; Patricelli, B.; Perley, D.; Pescalli, A.; Piran, T.; Possenti, A.; Pulone, L.; Razzano, M.; Salvaterra, R.; Schipani, P.; Spera, M.; Stamerra, A.; Stella, L.; Tagliaferri, G.; Testa, V.; Troja, E.; Turatto, M.; Vergani, S.D.; Vergani, D.
    The merger of two neutron stars is predicted to give rise to three major detectable phenomena: a short burst of γ-rays, a gravitational-wave signal, and a transient optical-near-infrared source powered by the synthesis of large amounts of very heavy elements via rapid neutron capture (the r-process)1-3. Such transients, named 'macronovae' or 'kilonovae'4-7, are believed to be centres of production of rare elements such as gold and platinum8. The most compelling evidence so far for a kilonova was a very faint near-infrared rebrightening in the afterglow of a short γ-ray burst9,10 at redshift z = 0.356, although findings indicating bluer events have been reported11. Here we report the spectral identification and describe the physical properties of a bright kilonova associated with the gravitational-wave source12 GW170817 and γ-ray burst13,14 GRB 170817A associated with a galaxy at a distance of 40 megaparsecs from Earth. Using a series of spectra from ground-based observatories covering the wavelength range from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, we find that the kilonova is characterized by rapidly expanding ejecta with spectral features similar to those predicted by current models15,16. The ejecta is optically thick early on, with a velocity of about 0.2 times light speed, and reaches a radius of about 50 astronomical units in only 1.5 days. As the ejecta expands, broad absorption-like lines appear on the spectral continuum, indicating atomic species produced by nucleosynthesis that occurs in the post-merger fast-moving dynamical ejecta and in two slower (0.05 times light speed) wind regions. Comparison with spectral models suggests that the merger ejected 0.03 to 0.05 solar masses of material, including high-opacity lanthanides. © 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature.