在两个中子星的合并中识别
Darach Watson1,2, Camilla J Hansen3,4, Jonatan Selsing3,5
1Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. darach@nbi.ku.dk.
Nature
|October 25, 2019
概括
科学家在中子星合并后发现了重元素. 这一发现证实了中子星的合并是这些元素的宇宙起源,
科学领域:
- 核天体物理学
- 宇宙学
- 引力波天文学
背景情况:
- 天体物理r过程 (快速中子捕获) 负责合成比铁重的一半元素.
- 对于r过程的确切宇宙位置一直是天体物理学中的一个长期争论.
- 中子星的合并被认为是一个主要的场所,产生可观测的千新星.
研究的目的:
- 在天体物理站点中识别新合成的r-process元素.
- 证实中子星的合并是重元素的起源.
- 分析GW170817中子星合并后的千新星AT2017gfo的光谱数据.
主要方法:
- 从KilonovaAT2017gfo获得的详细光谱数据的重新分析.
- 使用引力波探测数据 (GW170817) 确定天体物理事件.
- 用光谱分析识别特定的元素特征.
主要成果:
- 在千诺瓦AT2017gfo光谱中确定捕获中子元素 (Sr).
- 这标志着在这种情况下首次对特定的r-process元素进行了可靠的识别.
- 这些发现与预测中子星合并中的重元素合成的理论模型一致.
结论:
- 中子星的合并被证实是天体物理r过程的重要场所.
- 在这些宇宙碰撞中产生重元素的直接证据.
- 这项研究进一步证实了中子星由中子丰富的物质组成.
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