Understand
The merger of binary neutron stars (NSs) ejects a small quantity of neutron rich matter, the radioactive decay of which powers a day to week long thermal transient known as a kilonova.
- Most of the ejecta remains sufficiently dense during its expansion that all neutrons are captured into nuclei during the r-process.
- However, recent general relativistic merger simulations by Bauswein and collaborators show that a small fraction of the ejected mass (a few per cent, or ~1e-4 Msun) expands sufficiently rapidly for most neutrons to avoid capture.
- This matter originates from the shocked-heated interface between the merging NSs.
Reading the bibliography…