Heavy-element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST
Author:
Levan Andrew J.ORCID, Gompertz Benjamin P.ORCID, Salafia Om Sharan, Bulla Mattia, Burns EricORCID, Hotokezaka Kenta, Izzo LucaORCID, Lamb Gavin P.ORCID, Malesani Daniele B.ORCID, Oates Samantha R.ORCID, Ravasio Maria Edvige, Rouco Escorial AliciaORCID, Schneider BenjaminORCID, Sarin Nikhil, Schulze SteveORCID, Tanvir Nial R.ORCID, Ackley Kendall, Anderson Gemma, Brammer Gabriel B.ORCID, Christensen LiseORCID, Dhillon Vikram S.ORCID, Evans Phil A., Fausnaugh Michael, Fong Wen-fai, Fruchter Andrew S.ORCID, Fryer ChrisORCID, Fynbo Johan P. U.ORCID, Gaspari NicolaORCID, Heintz Kasper E.ORCID, Hjorth JensORCID, Kennea Jamie A.ORCID, Kennedy Mark R., Laskar TanmoyORCID, Leloudas GiorgosORCID, Mandel IlyaORCID, Martin-Carrillo AntonioORCID, Metzger Brian D., Nicholl MattORCID, Nugent Anya, Palmerio Jesse T., Pugliese GiovannaORCID, Rastinejad JillianORCID, Rhodes LaurenORCID, Rossi AndreaORCID, Saccardi Andrea, Smartt Stephen J.ORCID, Stevance Heloise F., Tohuvavohu Aaron, van der Horst AlexanderORCID, Vergani Susanna D., Watson DarachORCID, Barclay ThomasORCID, Bhirombhakdi KornpobORCID, Breedt ElméORCID, Breeveld Alice A.ORCID, Brown Alexander J.ORCID, Campana Sergio, Chrimes Ashley A., D’Avanzo Paolo, D’Elia Valerio, De Pasquale MassimilianoORCID, Dyer Martin J.ORCID, Galloway Duncan K.ORCID, Garbutt James A.ORCID, Green Matthew J.ORCID, Hartmann Dieter H., Jakobsson PállORCID, Kerry Paul, Kouveliotou Chryssa, Langeroodi Danial, Le Floc’h Emeric, Leung James K.ORCID, Littlefair Stuart P.ORCID, Munday James, O’Brien PaulORCID, Parsons Steven G.ORCID, Pelisoli Ingrid, Sahman David I., Salvaterra Ruben, Sbarufatti BorisORCID, Steeghs DannyORCID, Tagliaferri Gianpiero, Thöne Christina C.ORCID, de Ugarte Postigo AntonioORCID, Kann David Alexander
Abstract
AbstractThe mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)1, sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs)2 and likely production sites for heavy-element nucleosynthesis by means of rapid neutron capture (the r-process)3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration GRBs associated with compact object mergers4–6 and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the GW merger GW170817 (refs. 7–12). We obtained James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns, which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A = 130) and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-infrared owing to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r-process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy-element nucleosynthesis across the Universe.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Multidisciplinary
Reference95 articles.
1. Tanvir, N. R. et al. A ‘kilonova’ associated with the short-duration γ-ray burst GRB 130603B. Nature 500, 547–549 (2013). 2. Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R. & Abbott, T. D. et al. GW170817: observation of gravitational waves from a binary neutron star inspiral. Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 161101 (2017). 3. Metzger, B. D. Kilonovae. Living Rev. Relativ. 23, 1 (2020). 4. Rastinejad, J. C. et al. A kilonova following a long-duration gamma-ray burst at 350 Mpc. Nature 612, 223–227 (2022). 5. Troja, E. et al. A nearby long gamma-ray burst from a merger of compact objects. Nature 612, 228–231 (2022).
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