Full Transport Model of GW170817-Like Disk Produces a Blue Kilonova. (arXiv:1905.07477v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Miller_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jonah M. Miller</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Ryan_B/0/1/0/all/0/1">Benjamin R. Ryan</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Dolence_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Joshua C. Dolence</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Burrows_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Adam Burrows</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Fontes_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Christopher J. Fontes</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Fryer_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Christopher L. Fryer</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Korobkin_O/0/1/0/all/0/1">Oleg Korobkin</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lippuner_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jonas Lippuner</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Mumpower_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Matthew R. Mumpower</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Wollaeger_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Ryan T. Wollaeger</a>
The 2017 detection of the inspiral and merger of two neutron stars in
gravitational waves and gamma rays was accompanied by a quickly-reddening
transient. Such a transient was predicted to occur following a rapid neutron
capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis event, which synthesizes neutron-rich,
radioactive nuclei and can take place in both dynamical ejecta and in the wind
driven off the accretion torus formed after a neutron star merger. We present
the first three-dimensional general relativistic, full transport neutrino
radiation magnetohydrodynamics (GRRMHD) simulations of the black hole-accretion
disk-wind system produced by the GW170817 merger. We show that the small but
non-negligible optical depths lead to neutrino transport globally coupling the
disk electron fraction, which we capture by solving the transport equation with
a Monte Carlo method. The resulting absorption drives up the electron fraction
in a structured, continuous outflow, with electron fraction as high as $Y_esim
0.4$ in the extreme polar region. We show via nuclear reaction network and
radiative transfer calculations that nucleosynthesis in the disk wind will
produce a blue kilonova.
The 2017 detection of the inspiral and merger of two neutron stars in
gravitational waves and gamma rays was accompanied by a quickly-reddening
transient. Such a transient was predicted to occur following a rapid neutron
capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis event, which synthesizes neutron-rich,
radioactive nuclei and can take place in both dynamical ejecta and in the wind
driven off the accretion torus formed after a neutron star merger. We present
the first three-dimensional general relativistic, full transport neutrino
radiation magnetohydrodynamics (GRRMHD) simulations of the black hole-accretion
disk-wind system produced by the GW170817 merger. We show that the small but
non-negligible optical depths lead to neutrino transport globally coupling the
disk electron fraction, which we capture by solving the transport equation with
a Monte Carlo method. The resulting absorption drives up the electron fraction
in a structured, continuous outflow, with electron fraction as high as $Y_esim
0.4$ in the extreme polar region. We show via nuclear reaction network and
radiative transfer calculations that nucleosynthesis in the disk wind will
produce a blue kilonova.
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