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A neutron star merger is the stellar collision of neutron stars. When two neutron stars fall into mutual orbit, they gradually spiral inward due to the loss of energy emitted as gravitational radiation. [1] When they finally meet, their merger leads to the formation of either a more massive neutron star, or—if the mass of the remnant exceeds ...
Electromagnetic observations help support the theory that neutron star mergers contribute to rapid neutron capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis [28] —previously assumed to be associated with supernova explosions—and are therefore the primary source of r-process elements heavier than iron, [1] including gold and platinum. [48]
Neutron star mergers are a recently discovered major source of elements produced in the r-process. When two neutron stars collide, a significant amount of neutron-rich matter may be ejected which then quickly forms heavy elements. Cosmic ray spallation is a process wherein cosmic rays impact nuclei and fragment them.
This artist's impression shows a kilonova produced by two colliding neutron stars. On October 16, 2017, the LIGO and Virgo collaborations announced the first detection of a gravitational wave (GW170817 [9]) which would correspond with electromagnetic observations, and demonstrated that the source was a binary neutron star merger. [10]
Simulated collision of two neutron stars. A stellar collision is the coming together of two stars [1] caused by stellar dynamics within a star cluster, or by the orbital decay of a binary star due to stellar mass loss or gravitational radiation, or by other mechanisms not yet well understood.
PSR J1946+2052 is a short-period binary pulsar system located 11,000–14,000 light-years (3,500–4,200 pc) away from Earth in the constellation Vulpecula.The system consists of a pulsar and a neutron star orbiting around their common center of mass every 1.88 hours, which is the shortest orbital period among all known double neutron star systems as of 2022.
The gravitational wave signal matched prediction for the merger of two neutron stars, two seconds before the gamma-ray burst. The gravitational wave signal, which had a duration of about 100 seconds, was the first gravitational wave detection of the merger of two neutron stars. [1] [19] [20] [21] [22]
Nuclear physics experiments address stability (i.e., lifetimes and masses) for atomic nuclei well beyond the regime of stable nuclides into the realm of radioactive/unstable nuclei, almost to the limits of bound nuclei (the drip lines), and under high density (up to neutron star matter) and high temperature (plasma temperatures up to 10 9 K ...