Multi-messenger astrophysics: exploring the electromagnetic characteristics of short-duration GRBs and kilonovae

Binaries consisting of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole, will eventually merge due to orbital decay through the emission of gravitational radiation. The mergers themselves release vast amounts of energy, which is thought in some cases to lead to the production of short-duration gamma-ray bursts. They also expel highly radioactive neutron-rich nuclei, which should decay to form the stable r-process elements (such as gold and platinum), while powering an explosion known as a kilonova. Finally, these systems, as they merge, produce gravitational waves that can be detected using the current generation of terrestrial detectors. In Leicester we have a long background in this field, including making the first kilonova discovery in 2013, and being centrally involved in the discovery of the first electromagnetic counterparts to the neutron star binary merger, GW170817.

The project would involve exploring the electromagnetic characteristics of short-duration GRBs and kilonovae, to better understand their population properties and look for them in coincidence with gravitational wave detections. The student will use data from major projects in which we are involved, for example, Swift, VISTA, GOTO, VLT, HST etc., and work with experienced observers and theorists in our group and wider collaborations. This is important to establish the rates of systems that can produce detectable gravitational wave events, and to quantify the role of compact binary mergers in r-process production.