TAPIR Seminar

In person: 370 Cahill. To Join via Zoom: 868 5298 8404

ABSTRACT: Binary neutron star (BNS) mergers provide an excellent cosmic laboratory for understanding the origin of heavy (Z > 26) elements, which has been a long-standing mystery in astronomy. In the neutron-rich material ejected from the BNS merger, heavy elements are synthesized via rapid neutron capture (r-process). The radioactive decay of such elements produces emission in the ultraviolet-optical-infrared (UVOIR) range, called a kilonova. Such a kilonova has already been detected as a follow-up observation of gravitational waves from a BNS merger (GW170817), ushering in the era of multi-messenger astronomy. 

Kilonova light curves and spectra, across the early photospheric to the late nebular stage, are governed by the underlying microphysics, requiring the detailed atomic data of heavy r-process elements to model these transients. However, the lack of extensive atomic data poses a significant challenge to accurately modelling these transients. In my talk, I will present highlights of our efforts to bridge this gap by computing atomic data tailored for modelling kilonovae across their full evolution and share the recent progress in simulating kilonova light curves and spectra from the early photospheric phase (t ~ hours) to the late nebular phase (t > one week), enabled by these new atomic datasets.