An Infrared Search for Kilonovae with the WINTER Telescope. I. Binary Neutron Star Mergers

Frostig, Danielle; Biscoveanu, Sylvia; Mo, Geoffrey; Karambelkar, Viraj; Canton, Tito Dal; Chen, Hsin-Yu; Kasliwal, Mansi; Katsavounidis, Erik; Lourie, Nathan P.; Simcoe, Robert A.; Vitale, Salvatore

doi:10.48550/arxiv.2110.01622

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 67 publications

(106 reference statements)

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“…A higher accuracy in both localization and distance measurement by the GW observations is expected, which make the post-GW-trigger follow-up search observations more efficiently. Furthermore, during the same GW period, several more powerful telescopes, e.g., the Space Variable Objects Monitor (Wei et al 2016) in gamma-rays, the Einstein Probe (Yuan et al 2016) in X-rays, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST Science Collaboration et al 2009) and the Wide-Field Infrared Transient Explorer (Frostig et al 2021) in optical-infrared bands, will start to operate and join the GW follow-up observational campaigns. It is possible that multi-messenger signals from NSBH mergers, especially for NS-first-born NSBH mergers, could be discovered in the forthcoming O4.…”

Section: Multi-messenger Signalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Channel to Form Fast-spinning Black Hole--Neutron Star Binary Mergers as Multi-messenger Sources

Hu,

Zhu,

Qin

et al. 2022

Preprint

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After the successful detection of a gravitational-wave (GW) signal and its associated electromagnetic (EM) counterparts from GW170817, neutron star-black hole (NSBH) mergers have been highly expected to be the next type of multi-messenger source. However, despite the detection of several of NSBH merger candidates during the GW third observation run, no confirmed EM counterparts from these sources have been identified. The most plausible explanation is that these NSBH merger candidates were plunging events mainly because the primary BHs had near-zero projected aligned-spins based on GW observations. In view that NSs can be easily tidally disrupted by BHs with high projected aligned-spins, we study an evolution channel to form NSBH binaries with fast-spinning BHs, the properties of BH mass and spin, and their associated tidal disruption probability. We find that if the NSs are born firstly, the companion helium stars would be tidally spun up efficiently, and would thus finally form fast-spinning BHs. If BHs do not receive significant natal kicks at birth, these NSBH binaries that can merge within the Hubble time would have BHs with the projected aligned-spins χ z 0.8 and, hence, can certainly allow tidal disruption to happen. Even if significant BH kicks are considered for a small fraction of NSBH binaries, the projected aligned-spins of BHs are χ z 0.2. These systems can still be disrupted events unless the NSs are very massive. Thus, NS-first-born NSBH mergers would be promising multi-messenger sources. We discuss various potential EM counterparts associated with these systems and their detectability in the upcoming fourth observation run.

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Section: Multi-messenger Signalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Channel to Form Fast-spinning Black Hole--Neutron Star Binary Mergers as Multi-messenger Sources

Hu,

Zhu,

Qin

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…Future foreseeable GW observations will give a better constraint on the localization for a fraction of BNS GW events, which will benefit the search for associated electromagnetic (EM) counterparts. For example, some GW sources will be localized to ∼ 10 deg 2 by the network including the Advanced LIGO, Advanced Virgo, and KAGRA GW detectors (Abbott et al 2020;Frostig et al 2021). Therefore, taking advantage of target-of-opportunity (ToO) follow-up observations of GW triggers will greatly improve the search efficiency of kilonovae and afterglows.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, taking advantage of target-of-opportunity (ToO) follow-up observations of GW triggers will greatly improve the search efficiency of kilonovae and afterglows. The kilonova follow-up campaigns by specific survey projects, e.g., ZTF, LSST, and the Wide-Field Infrared Transient Explorer, for GW BNS mergers in the near GW era have been simulated recently (Sagués Carracedo et al 2021;Cowperthwaite et al 2019;Frostig et al 2021). In this paper, we present detailed calculations of the BNS detectability by the GW detectors in the next 15 yr and the associated EM detectability for GW-triggered ToO observations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kilonova and Optical Afterglow from Binary Neutron Star Mergers. II. Optimal Search Strategy for Serendipitous Observations and Target-of-opportunity Observations of Gravitational-wave Triggers

Zhu¹,

Wu²,

Yang³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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In the second work of this series, we explore the optimal search strategy for serendipitous and gravitational-wave-triggered target-of-opportunity observations of kilonovae and optical short-duration gamma-ray burst (sGRB) afterglows from binary neutron star (BNS) mergers, assuming that cosmological kilonovae are AT2017gfo-like (but with viewing-angle dependence) and that the properties of afterglows are consistent with those of cosmological sGRB afterglows. A one-day cadence serendipitous search strategy with an exposure time of ∼ 30 s can always achieve an optimal search strategy of kilonovae and afterglows for various survey projects. We show that the optimal detection rates of the kilonova-dominated (afterglow-dominated) events are ∼ 0.2/0.5/0.8/20 yr −1 (∼ 500/300/600/3000 yr −1 ) for ZTF/Mephisto/WFST/LSST, respectively. A better search strategy for SiTian is to increase the exposure time. SiTian can find ∼ 5(6000) yr −1 kilonova-dominated (afterglow-dominated) events. We predict abundant off-axis orphan afterglows may be recorded in the survey database although not been identified. For target-of-opportunity observations, we simulate the maximum BNS gravitational-wave (GW) detection rates, which are ∼ 27/210/1800/2.0 × 10 5 yr −1 , in the networks of 2nd/2.5th/3rd(Voyager)/3rd(ET&CE)-generation GW detectors. In the upcoming 2nd-generation networks, follow-up observations with a limiting magnitude of m limit 22 − 23 mag can discover all EM signals from BNS GW events. Among these detected GW events, ∼ 60% events (∼ 16 yr −1 ) can detect clear kilonova signals, while afterglow-dominated events would account for the other ∼ 40% events (∼ 11 yr −1 ). In the 2.5th-and 3rd(Voyager)-generation era, the critical magnitudes for the detection of EM emissions from all BNS GW events would be ∼ 23.5 mag and ∼ 25 mag, respectively. Foreseeable optical survey projects cannot detect all EM signals of GW events detected during the ET&CE era.

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“…The possible presence of bright afterglow emission may significantly affect the detectability of nearby kilonovae. Many works in the literature have detailedly discussed the search strategy and detection rate of kilonova (e.g., Sagués Carracedo et al 2021;Almualla et al 2021;Frostig et al 2021), but without the consideration of the effect of the associated afterglow emission. In Paper II, we will investigate in detail the optical search strategy and detection rate of both kilonova and optical afterglow events from BNS mergers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The gri bands are typically used by present and future survey projects (e.g., the Zwicky Transient Facility abbreviated as ZTF and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope; Graham et al 2019;LSST Science Collaboration et al 2009) while some survey instruments (e.g., the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope and the Wide Field Infrared Transient Explorer; Hounsell et al 2018;Lourie et al 2020;Frostig et al 2021) designed for dedicated follow-up observations in the near-infrared bands (e.g., J and H bands) will operate in the near future. As shown in Figure 3, we plot the on-axis kilonova and afterglow lightcurves in griJ bands.…”

Section: Viewing-angle-dependent Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kilonova and Optical Afterglow from Binary Neutron Star Mergers. I. Luminosity Function and Color Evolution

Zhu¹,

Yang²,

Zhang³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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In the first work of this series, we adopt an AT2017gfo-like viewing-angle-dependent kilonova model and the standard afterglow model with lightcurve distribution based on the cosmological short gammaray bursts afterglows to simulate the luminosity functions and color evolution of both kilonovae and optical afterglow emissions from binary neutron star mergers. Only a small fraction of (∼ 20%) on-axis afterglows are dimmer than the associated kilonovae at the kilonovae peak time. At a very large viewing angle, e.g., sin θ v 0.40, most kilonovae at the peak time would be much brighter than associated afterglows. Therefore, a large fractional of detectable kilonovae would be significantly polluted by associated afterglow emissions. We find that the maximum possible apparent magnitude for cosmological kilonovae is ∼ 27 − 28 mag. Afterglow emission has a wider luminosity function compared with kilonova emission. At brightness dimmer than ∼ 25 − 26 mag, according to their luminosity functions, the number of afterglows is much larger than that of kilonovae. Since the search depth of almost all the present and foreseeable survey projects is < 25 mag, the number of afterglow events detected via serendipitous observations would be much higher than that of kilonova events, consistent with the current observations. We find that it may be difficult to use the fading rate in a single band to directly identify kilonovae and afterglows among various fast-evolving transients by serendipitous surveys, especially if the observations have missed the peak time. However, the color evolution between optical and infrared bands can identify them, since their color evolution patterns are unique compared with those of other fast-evolving transients.

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An Infrared Search for Kilonovae with the WINTER Telescope. I. Binary Neutron Star Mergers

Cited by 3 publications

References 67 publications

A Channel to Form Fast-spinning Black Hole--Neutron Star Binary Mergers as Multi-messenger Sources

A Channel to Form Fast-spinning Black Hole--Neutron Star Binary Mergers as Multi-messenger Sources

Kilonova and Optical Afterglow from Binary Neutron Star Mergers. II. Optimal Search Strategy for Serendipitous Observations and Target-of-opportunity Observations of Gravitational-wave Triggers

Kilonova and Optical Afterglow from Binary Neutron Star Mergers. I. Luminosity Function and Color Evolution

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