The evolving optical and infrared kilonova was consistent with radioactive heating of neutron-rich merger ejecta. Rapid neutron capture, the r-process, can synthesize nuclei heavier than iron; decay of the newly formed unstable nuclei powers the transient. Its redward evolution and large inferred opacity supported production of heavy-element-rich ejecta. Thus mergers are a demonstrated important site for heavy-element production, while the fractions of individual elements and their total cosmic contribution remain model-dependent. The transient was not a direct identification of every very heavy element.[ref]

Ancestors (12)

  1. a
  2. 3
  3. 2018
  4. Past exam of the astrophysics course of the University of Oxford
  5. Astrophysics course of the University of Oxford
  6. Year 4 of the physics course of the University of Oxford
  7. Physics course of the University of Oxford
  8. Undergraduate course of the University of Oxford
  9. Course of the University of Oxford
  10. University of Oxford
  11. List of universities
  12. Home

View article source

Discussion (0)

New discussion

There are no discussions about this article yet.

Articles by others on the same topic (0)

There are currently no matching articles.
See all articles in the same topic Create my own version