2011/04/28 by L. F. Roberts, Luke F. Roberts, D. Kasen +5 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Coincidence #Compact star #Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution #Electromagnetic radiation #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Power (physics) #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Radiation #Radioactive decay #Transient (computer programming) #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/736/1/l21
Submitted to ApJL
arxiv created 2011/04/28 · openalex publication_date 2011/07/01 · arxiv updated 2015/05/28 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We investigate the possibility that long tidal tails formed during compact object mergers may produce optical transients powered by the decay of freshly synthesized r -process material. Precise modeling of the merger dynamics allows for a realistic determination of the thermodynamic conditions in the ejected debris. We combine hydrodynamic and full nuclear network calculations to determine the resultant r -process abundances and the heating of the material by their decays. The subsequent homologous structure is mapped into a radiative transfer code to synthesize emergent model light curves and determine how their properties (variability and color evolution) depend on the mass ratio and orientation of the merging binary. The radiation emanating from the ejected debris, though less spectacular than a typical supernova, should be observable in transient surveys and we estimate the associated detection rates. We find that it is unlikely that photometry alone will be able to distinguish between different binary mass ratios and the nature of the compact objects, emphasizing the need for spectroscopic follow-up of these events. The case for (or against) compact object mergers as the progenitors of short gamma-ray bursts can be tested if such electromagnetic transients are detected (or not) in coincidence with some bursts, although they may be obscured by on-axis afterglows.