Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorLevan, Andrewen
dc.contributor.authorGompertz, Benjamin P.en
dc.contributor.authorSalafia, Om Sharanen
dc.contributor.authorBulla, Mattiaen
dc.contributor.authorBurns, Ericen
dc.contributor.authorHotokezaka, Kentaen
dc.contributor.authorIzzo, Lucaen
dc.contributor.authorLamb, Gavin P.en
dc.contributor.authorMalesani, Daniele B.en
dc.contributor.authorOates, Samantha R.en
dc.contributor.authorRavasio, Maria Edvigeen
dc.contributor.authorEscorial, Alicia Roucoen
dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Benjaminen
dc.contributor.authorSarin, Nikhilen
dc.contributor.authorSchulze, Steveen
dc.contributor.authorTanvir, Nial R.en
dc.contributor.authorAckley, Kendallen
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, Gemmaen
dc.contributor.authorBrammer, Gabriel B.en
dc.contributor.authorChristensen, Liseen
dc.contributor.authorDhillon, Vikram S.en
dc.contributor.authorEvans, Phil A.en
dc.contributor.authorFausnaugh, Michaelen
dc.contributor.authorFong, Wen-faien
dc.contributor.authorFruchter, Andrew S.en
dc.contributor.authorFryer, Chrisen
dc.contributor.authorFynbo, Johan P. U.en
dc.contributor.authorGaspari, Nicolaen
dc.contributor.authorHeintz, Kasper E.en
dc.contributor.authorHjorth, Jensen
dc.contributor.authorKennea, Jamie A.en
dc.contributor.authorKennedy, Mark R.en
dc.contributor.authorLaskar, Tanmoyen
dc.contributor.authorLeloudas, Giorgosen
dc.contributor.authorMandel, Ilyaen
dc.contributor.authorMartin-Carrillo, Antonioen
dc.contributor.authorMetzger, Brian D.en
dc.contributor.authorNicholl, Matten
dc.contributor.authorNugent, Anyaen
dc.contributor.authorPalmerio, Jesse T.en
dc.contributor.authorPugliese, Giovannaen
dc.contributor.authorRastinejad, Jillianen
dc.contributor.authorRhodes, Laurenen
dc.contributor.authorRossi, Andreaen
dc.contributor.authorSaccardi, Andreaen
dc.contributor.authorSmartt, Stephen J.en
dc.contributor.authorStevance, Heloise F.en
dc.contributor.authorTohuvavohu, Aaronen
dc.contributor.authorvan der Horst, Alexanderen
dc.contributor.authorVergani, Susanna D.en
dc.contributor.authorWatson, Darachen
dc.contributor.authorBarclay, Thomasen
dc.contributor.authorBhirombhakdi, Kornpoben
dc.contributor.authorBreedt, Elméen
dc.contributor.authorBreeveld, Alice A.en
dc.contributor.authorBrown, Alexander J.en
dc.contributor.authorCampana, Sergioen
dc.contributor.authorChrimes, Ashley A.en
dc.contributor.authorD’Avanzo, Paoloen
dc.contributor.authorD’Elia, Valerioen
dc.contributor.authorDe Pasquale, Massimilianoen
dc.contributor.authorDyer, Martin J.en
dc.contributor.authorGalloway, Duncan K.en
dc.contributor.authorGarbutt, James A.en
dc.contributor.authorGreen, Matthew J.en
dc.contributor.authorHartmann, Dieter H.en
dc.contributor.authorJakobsson, Pállen
dc.contributor.authorKerry, Paulen
dc.contributor.authorKouveliotou, Chryssaen
dc.contributor.authorLangeroodi, Danialen
dc.contributor.authorLe Floc’h, Emericen
dc.contributor.authorLeung, James K.en
dc.contributor.authorLittlefair, Stuart P.en
dc.contributor.authorMunday, Jamesen
dc.contributor.authorO’Brien, Paulen
dc.contributor.authorParsons, Steven G.en
dc.contributor.authorPelisoli, Ingriden
dc.contributor.authorSahman, David I.en
dc.contributor.authorSalvaterra, Rubenen
dc.contributor.authorSbarufatti, Borisen
dc.contributor.authorSteeghs, Dannyen
dc.contributor.authorTagliaferri, Gianpieroen
dc.contributor.authorThöne, Christina C.en
dc.contributor.authorde Ugarte Postigo, Antonioen
dc.contributor.authorKann, David Alexanderen
dc.contributor.funderNational Aeronautics and Space Administrationen
dc.contributor.funderSpace Telescope Science Instituteen
dc.date.accessioned2023-11-01T12:54:03Z
dc.date.available2023-11-01T12:54:03Z
dc.date.issued2023-10-25en
dc.description.abstractThe 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 (GW)2 and likely production sites for heavy element nucleosynthesis via rapid neutron capture (the r-process)3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration gamma-ray bursts associated with compact object mergers4–6, and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the gravitational-wave merger GW1708177–12. We obtained James Webb Space Telescope mid-infrared (mid-IR) 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-IR due 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.en
dc.description.sponsorshipSpace Telescope Science Institute (NASA contract NAS5- 03127)en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationLevan, A., Gompertz, B.P., Salafia, O.S. et al. (2023) 'Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST', Nature, 626, pp. 737-741. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1en
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1en
dc.identifier.eissn1476-4687en
dc.identifier.endpage741
dc.identifier.issn0028-0836en
dc.identifier.journaltitleNatureen
dc.identifier.startpage737
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/15174
dc.identifier.volume626
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherSpringer Nature Switzerland AGen
dc.rights© 2023, The Authors, under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published as: Levan, A., Gompertz, B.P., Salafia, O.S. et al. (2023) 'Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST', Nature, doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06759-1en
dc.subjectNucleosynthesisen
dc.subjectGamma-ray bursten
dc.subjectr-process elementsen
dc.subjectHeavy element nucleosynthesisen
dc.titleHeavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWSTen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)en
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Thumbnail Image
Name:
sn-article_submit_figures.pdf
Size:
4.02 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Accepted Version
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
230307A_supplementary_information.pdf
Size:
4.75 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Supplementary Information
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
41586_2023_6759_MOESM2_ESM.pdf
Size:
187.38 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Peer Review File
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Physics - Journal Articles