Special MSI Seminar - Immediate observational access to the post-merger environment of a neutron star collision

Aaron Tohuvavohu (University of Toronto)

Jul 19, 2022 3:00 PM

Location: MSI Conference Room + Zoom
Special Seminar

Title: Immediate observational access to the post-merger environment of a neutron star collision

Abstract:

The rich EM phenomenology in the first few hours after a compact object merger encodes the nature of the post-merger remnant, the neutron star equation of state, the velocity distribution of the fastest moving ejecta, and a wide array of other compelling physics. Unfortunately, the requirement to search, find, and classify a counterpart within the large GW localization regions before targeted follow-up with sensitive instruments can begin, excludes access to these first few hours, even for the most well localized GW sources. The ability to promptly localize a GW source to within the field-of-view of a narrow field sensitive facility, would enable extraordinary science. I will discuss the science cases that require extremely early time observations, and the coordination, instruments, and infrastructure necessary to achieve it. This includes, all-sky GRB imagers with arcminute localization capabilities, novel data analysis techniques, early warning GW detection, fast response space telescopes, and the infrastructure to coordinate them.

Watch the livestream.