What is a kilonova whose remains have been discovered for the first time?

What is a kilonova whose remains have been discovered for the first time?

By studying the GW170817 signal resulting from the merger of two neutron stars and, among other things, a kilonova, a team of astronomers pinpoints the singular nature of the event, including the flux of residual X-rays likely to provide clues. is included. On the nature of the object resulting from the fusion of these two massive stars.

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Found on August 17th, 2017 Galaxy NGC 4993 through instruments ligo And Virgo (Two interferometers designed to detect gravitational waves, GW170817 is a signal responsible for the direct observation ofgravitational waves, described as oscillations in the curvature of space time Gravitational waves that propagate from a source were predicted by Albert Einstein as early as 1916, but it took nearly a hundred years for the first observation of gravitational waves to occur in September 2015.

a unique sign

according to astronomyThis signal would have been emitted after Merger between two neutron stars, But what makes it special is finding itelectromagnetic waves Related: This is the first time that an astronomical phenomenon has been detected as gravitational waves as well as light. In fact, a to scare Gamma (GRB170817A) attached to GW170817 was detected Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Less than two seconds after the start of the gravitational wave signal.

Since then, about 70 observatories on the ground or in space have participated in monitoring the event. radio telescope American VLA and VLBAs, for example, were able to observe the waves radio Residues associated with GW170817, a. confirm the scenario unionization out of two neutron stars,

A kilonova associated with the event

Detected approximately 11 hours after gravitational waves were observed, the AT 2017gfo event was interpreted as a . was done as kilonova (can be defined as a supernova Underlight). Because of its spatio-temporal proximity with GW170817, this kilonova is associated with the same neutron star merger. This incident is accompanied by a jet of charged particles, a . moves on Speed close to him Light and output a case X-rays measured by NASA’s Chandra Observatory. According to a team of American astrophysicists, the study of these X-rays could be important to identify the object resulting from the fusion of these two neutron stars.

Shortly after their detection, the X-ray emission produced by K jets Case gradually decreases, while the stream of matter slows down. But this decline since 2020 Glow would have stopped, giving way to a relatively continuous emission of X-rays. according to astronomersThis would indicate the detection of an additional object, separate from the charged particle jet: another source of X-rays is necessary to explain these observations.

An afterglow… or even a black hole?

according to astronomers, this new source of X-rays may come from shocks produced by the rapid expansion of debris resulting from a merger between two stars. This shock would have heated the surrounding material, thus emitting X-rays – this phenomenon would then be associated with the residual luminescence of the kilonova.

A’s hypothesis black hole This also cannot be ruled out, as material falling into this cosmic giant can similarly generate X-ray emissions. , because the associated radiation must be very fast.

To find the end of the story, astronomers Will continue our observations of GW170817 in X-rays as well as radio waves: in the case of residual luminescence from the kilonova, the emission of X-rays and radio waves is expected to increase over the next few months. On the other hand, if the emission of X-rays decreases and the emission of radio waves stops, scientists will instead lean towards the formation scenario of one. black hole (It would then be at least extensively explored!)

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