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Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST

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Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST. / Levan, Andrew; Gompertz, Benjamin P.; Salafia, Om Sharan et al.
In: Nature, Vol. 626, 22.02.2024, p. 737-741.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Levan, A, Gompertz, BP, Salafia, OS, Bulla, M, Burns, E, Hotokezaka, K, Izzo, L, Lamb, GP, Malesani, DB, Oates, SR, Ravasio, ME, Escorial, AR, Schneider, B, Sarin, N, Schulze, S, Tanvir, NR, Ackley, K, Anderson, G, Brammer, GB, Christensen, L, Dhillon, VS, Evans, PA, Fausnaugh, M, Fong, W, Fruchter, AS, Fryer, C, Fynbo, JPU, Gaspari, N, Heintz, KE, Hjorth, J, Kennea, JA, Kennedy, MR, Laskar, T, Leloudas, G, Mandel, I, Martin-Carrillo, A, Metzger, BD, Nicholl, M, Nugent, A, Palmerio, JT, Pugliese, G, Rastinejad, J, Rhodes, L, Saccardi, A, Smartt, SJ, Stevance, HF, Tohuvavohu, A, Horst, AVD, Vergani, SD, Watson, D, Barclay, T, Bhirombhakdi, K, Breedt, E, Breeveld, AA, Brown, AJ, Campana, S, Chrimes, AA, D’Avanzo, P, D’Elia, V, Pasquale, MD, Dyer, MJ, Galloway, DK, Garbutt, JA, Hartmann, DH, Jakobsson, P, Kerry, P, Kouveliotou, C, Langeroodi, D, Floc’h, EL, Leung, JK, Littlefair, SP, Munday, J, O’Brien, P, Parsons, SG, Pelisoli, I, Sahman, DI, Salvaterra, R, Sbarufatti, B, Steeghs, D, Tagliaferri, G, Thöne, CC, Postigo, ADU & Kann, DA 2024, 'Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST', Nature, vol. 626, pp. 737-741. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1

APA

Levan, A., Gompertz, B. P., Salafia, O. S., Bulla, M., Burns, E., Hotokezaka, K., Izzo, L., Lamb, G. P., Malesani, D. B., Oates, S. R., Ravasio, M. E., Escorial, A. R., Schneider, B., Sarin, N., Schulze, S., Tanvir, N. R., Ackley, K., Anderson, G., Brammer, G. B., ... Kann, D. A. (2024). Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST. Nature, 626, 737-741. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1

Vancouver

Levan A, Gompertz BP, Salafia OS, Bulla M, Burns E, Hotokezaka K et al. Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST. Nature. 2024 Feb 22;626:737-741. Epub 2023 Oct 25. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1

Author

Levan, Andrew ; Gompertz, Benjamin P. ; Salafia, Om Sharan et al. / Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST. In: Nature. 2024 ; Vol. 626. pp. 737-741.

Bibtex

@article{eacbbd1a7cf246b3a0042a830a8afc40,
title = "Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST",
abstract = "The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) 1, sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) 2 and likely production sites for heavy-element nucleosynthesis by means of rapid neutron capture (the r-process) 3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration GRBs associated with compact object mergers 4–6 and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the GW merger GW170817 (refs. 7–12). We obtained James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns, which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A = 130) and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-infrared owing to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r-process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy-element nucleosynthesis across the Universe.",
author = "Andrew Levan and Gompertz, {Benjamin P.} and Salafia, {Om Sharan} and Mattia Bulla and Eric Burns and Kenta Hotokezaka and Luca Izzo and Lamb, {Gavin P.} and Malesani, {Daniele B.} and Oates, {Samantha R.} and Ravasio, {Maria Edvige} and Escorial, {Alicia Rouco} and Benjamin Schneider and Nikhil Sarin and Steve Schulze and Tanvir, {Nial R.} and Kendall Ackley and Gemma Anderson and Brammer, {Gabriel B.} and Lise Christensen and Dhillon, {Vikram S.} and Evans, {Phil A.} and Michael Fausnaugh and Wen-fai Fong and Fruchter, {Andrew S.} and Chris Fryer and Fynbo, {Johan P. U.} and Nicola Gaspari and Heintz, {Kasper E.} and Jens Hjorth and Kennea, {Jamie A.} and Kennedy, {Mark R.} and Tanmoy Laskar and Giorgos Leloudas and Ilya Mandel and Antonio Martin-Carrillo and Metzger, {Brian D.} and Matt Nicholl and Anya Nugent and Palmerio, {Jesse T.} and Giovanna Pugliese and Jillian Rastinejad and Lauren Rhodes and Andrea Saccardi and Smartt, {Stephen J.} and Stevance, {Heloise F.} and Aaron Tohuvavohu and Horst, {Alexander van der} and Vergani, {Susanna D.} and Darach Watson and Thomas Barclay and Kornpob Bhirombhakdi and Elm{\'e} Breedt and Breeveld, {Alice A.} and Brown, {Alexander J.} and Sergio Campana and Chrimes, {Ashley A.} and Paolo D{\textquoteright}Avanzo and Valerio D{\textquoteright}Elia and Pasquale, {Massimiliano De} and Dyer, {Martin J.} and Galloway, {Duncan K.} and Garbutt, {James A.} and Hartmann, {Dieter H.} and P{\'a}ll Jakobsson and Paul Kerry and Chryssa Kouveliotou and Danial Langeroodi and Floc{\textquoteright}h, {Emeric Le} and Leung, {James K.} and Littlefair, {Stuart P.} and James Munday and Paul O{\textquoteright}Brien and Parsons, {Steven G.} and Ingrid Pelisoli and Sahman, {David I.} and Ruben Salvaterra and Boris Sbarufatti and Danny Steeghs and Gianpiero Tagliaferri and Th{\"o}ne, {Christina C.} and Postigo, {Antonio de Ugarte} and Kann, {David Alexander}",
year = "2024",
month = feb,
day = "22",
doi = "10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1",
language = "English",
volume = "626",
pages = "737--741",
journal = "Nature",
issn = "0028-0836",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST

AU - Levan, Andrew

AU - Gompertz, Benjamin P.

AU - Salafia, Om Sharan

AU - Bulla, Mattia

AU - Burns, Eric

AU - Hotokezaka, Kenta

AU - Izzo, Luca

AU - Lamb, Gavin P.

AU - Malesani, Daniele B.

AU - Oates, Samantha R.

AU - Ravasio, Maria Edvige

AU - Escorial, Alicia Rouco

AU - Schneider, Benjamin

AU - Sarin, Nikhil

AU - Schulze, Steve

AU - Tanvir, Nial R.

AU - Ackley, Kendall

AU - Anderson, Gemma

AU - Brammer, Gabriel B.

AU - Christensen, Lise

AU - Dhillon, Vikram S.

AU - Evans, Phil A.

AU - Fausnaugh, Michael

AU - Fong, Wen-fai

AU - Fruchter, Andrew S.

AU - Fryer, Chris

AU - Fynbo, Johan P. U.

AU - Gaspari, Nicola

AU - Heintz, Kasper E.

AU - Hjorth, Jens

AU - Kennea, Jamie A.

AU - Kennedy, Mark R.

AU - Laskar, Tanmoy

AU - Leloudas, Giorgos

AU - Mandel, Ilya

AU - Martin-Carrillo, Antonio

AU - Metzger, Brian D.

AU - Nicholl, Matt

AU - Nugent, Anya

AU - Palmerio, Jesse T.

AU - Pugliese, Giovanna

AU - Rastinejad, Jillian

AU - Rhodes, Lauren

AU - Saccardi, Andrea

AU - Smartt, Stephen J.

AU - Stevance, Heloise F.

AU - Tohuvavohu, Aaron

AU - Horst, Alexander van der

AU - Vergani, Susanna D.

AU - Watson, Darach

AU - Barclay, Thomas

AU - Bhirombhakdi, Kornpob

AU - Breedt, Elmé

AU - Breeveld, Alice A.

AU - Brown, Alexander J.

AU - Campana, Sergio

AU - Chrimes, Ashley A.

AU - D’Avanzo, Paolo

AU - D’Elia, Valerio

AU - Pasquale, Massimiliano De

AU - Dyer, Martin J.

AU - Galloway, Duncan K.

AU - Garbutt, James A.

AU - Hartmann, Dieter H.

AU - Jakobsson, Páll

AU - Kerry, Paul

AU - Kouveliotou, Chryssa

AU - Langeroodi, Danial

AU - Floc’h, Emeric Le

AU - Leung, James K.

AU - Littlefair, Stuart P.

AU - Munday, James

AU - O’Brien, Paul

AU - Parsons, Steven G.

AU - Pelisoli, Ingrid

AU - Sahman, David I.

AU - Salvaterra, Ruben

AU - Sbarufatti, Boris

AU - Steeghs, Danny

AU - Tagliaferri, Gianpiero

AU - Thöne, Christina C.

AU - Postigo, Antonio de Ugarte

AU - Kann, David Alexander

PY - 2024/2/22

Y1 - 2024/2/22

N2 - The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) 1, sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) 2 and likely production sites for heavy-element nucleosynthesis by means of rapid neutron capture (the r-process) 3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration GRBs associated with compact object mergers 4–6 and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the GW merger GW170817 (refs. 7–12). We obtained James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns, which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A = 130) and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-infrared owing to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r-process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy-element nucleosynthesis across the Universe.

AB - The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) 1, sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) 2 and likely production sites for heavy-element nucleosynthesis by means of rapid neutron capture (the r-process) 3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration GRBs associated with compact object mergers 4–6 and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the GW merger GW170817 (refs. 7–12). We obtained James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns, which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A = 130) and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-infrared owing to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r-process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy-element nucleosynthesis across the Universe.

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1

DO - 10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1

M3 - Journal article

VL - 626

SP - 737

EP - 741

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

SN - 0028-0836

ER -