New Constraints on r-process Nucleosynthesis in Neutron Star Mergers from GW170817 Late-Phase Spectra

arXiv:2609.38682 · astro-ph.HE · Submitted 2026-09-30 · Read on arXiv

astro-ph.HE

Submitted: 2026-09-30

Updated: 2026-09-30

Terminology

• Abundance — 92× in this paper · explained in 1 episode
• 1 µm Feature — 15× in this paper · explained in 1 episode
• Accuracy — 5× in this paper · explained in 1 episode
• Benchmark — 2× in this paper · explained in 2 episodes
• Calibration — 2× in this paper · explained in 7 episodes

Sources

• Strontium and helium in the kilonova AT2017gfo: Origin of the 1{\mu}m feature constrained via NLTE calculations
• Atomic Data for Non-Equilibrium Modeling of Kilonovae: The Ionization Properties of Te I - III
• Non-LTE Ionization Modeling for Helium and Strontium in Neutron Star Merger Ejecta
• Heavy element dust explains the late-time spectra of kilonovae
• Implications of low neutron star merger rates for gamma-ray bursts, r-process production and Galactic double neutron stars
• Calibrated Lanthanide Atomic Data for Kilonova Radiative Transfer. I. Atomic Structure and Opacities
• Improved lanthanide constraints for the kilonova AT 2017gfo
• Heavy element nucleosynthesis associated with a gamma-ray burst
• Infrared spectral signatures of light r-process elements in kilonovae
• Ce II-IV emission in kilonovae with R-matrix collision strengths and distorted wave recombination rates
• Electron impact excitation of Te IV and V and Level Resolved R-matrix Photoionization of Te I - IV with application to modelling of AT2017gfo
• Lanthanide Impact on the Infra-Red Spectra of Nebular Phase Kilonovae
• Non-LTE analysis for Helium and Strontium lines in the kilonova AT2017gfo
• GWTC-4.0: Population Properties of Merging Compact Binaries

Related papers

• Numerical Studies of Accretion Flows onto a Neutron Star Engulfed in a Massive Star
• Collisionless Accretion of Finite-Angular-Momentum Plasma onto a Spinning Black Hole
• Impact of Magnetic Field Topology on Electromagnetic and Gravitational Waves from Binary Neutron Star Merger Remnants
• XRISM Resolve Spectroscopy of GX 5-1: Constraints on Iron Spectral Features in a Luminous Neutron-Star Binary
• SN 1006: A Cosmic Laboratory for Investigating Shock Acceleration Physics
• Neutrino Spectral Pinching in 3D Core-Collapse Supernovae: Late-Time Convergence, Failed-Explosion Signatures, and Viewing-Angle Dispersion