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      Light Curves of the Neutron Star Merger GW170817/SSS17a: Implications for R-Process Nucleosynthesis

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          Abstract

          On 2017 August 17, gravitational waves were detected from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817, along with a coincident short gamma-ray burst, GRB170817A. An optical transient source, Swope Supernova Survey 17a (SSS17a), was subsequently identified as the counterpart of this event. We present ultraviolet, optical and infrared light curves of SSS17a extending from 10.9 hours to 18 days post-merger. We constrain the radioactively-powered transient resulting from the ejection of neutron-rich material. The fast rise of the light curves, subsequent decay, and rapid color evolution are consistent with multiple ejecta components of differing lanthanide abundance. The late-time light curve indicates that SSS17a produced at least ~0.05 solar masses of heavy elements, demonstrating that neutron star mergers play a role in r-process nucleosynthesis in the Universe.

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          Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), the Optical Counterpart to a Gravitational Wave Source

          On 2017 August 17, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo interferometer detected gravitational waves emanating from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817. Nearly simultaneously, the Fermi and INTEGRAL telescopes detected a gamma-ray transient, GRB 170817A. 10.9 hours after the gravitational wave trigger, we discovered a transient and fading optical source, Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), coincident with GW170817. SSS17a is located in NGC 4993, an S0 galaxy at a distance of 40 megaparsecs. The precise location of GW170817 provides an opportunity to probe the nature of these cataclysmic events by combining electromagnetic and gravitational-wave observations.
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            Author and article information

            Journal
            16 October 2017
            Article
            10.1126/science.aaq0049
            1710.05443
            c9efd739-00f0-460a-8647-170bb693ba4a

            http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/

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            Accepted to Science
            astro-ph.HE astro-ph.GA astro-ph.SR

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