Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger

B. P. ABBOTT 3667 COAUTHORS; M. SCHNEITER (NUMERO X EN LA PUBLICACION)

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

IOP PUBLISHING LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017 vol. 848 p. 59 - 59

0004-637X

n 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. TheFermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a skyregion of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40 88-+ Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. Thecomponent masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 M. An extensive observing campaign waslaunched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now withthe IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the OneMeter,Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently