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Constraining properties of neutron star merger outflows with radio observations
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Submitted 30 Oct 2019
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim We show that these techniques are complementary as they probe different parts of the circum-merger density/inclination angle parameter space and different periods of the temporal evolution of the afterglow.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
The jet opening angle and inclination of GW170817 -- the first detected binary neutron star merger -- were vital to understand its energetics, relation to short gamma-ray bursts, and refinement of the standard siren-based determination of the Hubble constant, $H_0$. These basic quantities were determined through a combination of the radio lightcurve and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurements of proper motion. In this paper we discuss and quantify the prospects for the use of radio VLBI observations and observations of scintillation-induced variability to measure the source size and proper motion of merger afterglows, and thereby infer properties of the merger including inclination angle, opening angle and energetics. We show that these techniques are complementary as they probe different parts of the circum-merger density/inclination angle parameter space and different periods of the temporal evolution of the afterglow. We also find that while VLBI observations will be limited to the very closest events it will be possible to detect scintillation for a large fraction of events beyond the range of current gravitational wave detectors. Scintillation will also be detectable with next generation telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array, 2000 antenna Deep Synoptic Array and the next generation Very Large Array, for a large fraction of events detected with third generation gravitational wave detectors. Finally, we discuss prospects for the measurement of the $H_0$ with VLBI observations of neutron star mergers and compare this technique to other standard siren methods.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | The jet opening angle and inclination of GW170817 -- the first detected binary neutron star merger -- were vital to understand its energetics, relation to short gamma-ray bursts, and refinement of the standard siren-based determination of the Hubble constant, $H_0$. | background 1.00 | 0.06 | 0.03 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | These basic quantities were determined through a combination of the radio lightcurve and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurements of proper motion. | background 0.90 | 0.13 | 0.04 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | In this paper we discuss and quantify the prospects for the use of radio VLBI observations and observations of scintillation-induced variability to measure the source size and proper motion of merger afterglows, and thereby infer properties of the merger including inclination angle, opening angle and energetics. | contribution 0.98 | 0.43 | 0.19 | hedged possibility 0.68 |
| s3 | We show that these techniques are complementary as they probe different parts of the circum-merger density/inclination angle parameter space and different periods of the temporal evolution of the afterglow. | result 0.70 | 0.81 | 0.20 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | We also find that while VLBI observations will be limited to the very closest events it will be possible to detect scintillation for a large fraction of events beyond the range of current gravitational wave detectors. | result 0.97 | 0.90 | 0.19 | asserted 0.76 |
| s5 | Scintillation will also be detectable with next generation telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array, 2000 antenna Deep Synoptic Array and the next generation Very Large Array, for a large fraction of events detected with third generation gravitational wave detectors. | result 0.84 | 0.72 | 0.11 | hedged possibility 0.68 |
| s6 | Finally, we discuss prospects for the measurement of the $H_0$ with VLBI observations of neutron star mergers and compare this technique to other standard siren methods. | contribution 0.80 | 0.57 | 0.09 | asserted 0.40 |
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The paper
Original abstract
The jet opening angle and inclination of GW170817 -- the first detected binary neutron star merger -- were vital to understand its energetics, relation to short gamma-ray bursts, and refinement of the standard siren-based determination of the Hubble constant, $H_0$. These basic quantities were determined through a combination of the radio lightcurve and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurements of proper motion. In this paper we discuss and quantify the prospects for the use of radio VLBI observations and observations of scintillation-induced variability to measure the source size and proper motion of merger afterglows, and thereby infer properties of the merger including inclination angle, opening angle and energetics. We show that these techniques are complementary as they probe different parts of the circum-merger density/inclination angle parameter space and different periods of the temporal evolution of the afterglow. We also find that while VLBI observations will be limited to the very closest events it will be possible to detect scintillation for a large fraction of events beyond the range of current gravitational wave detectors. Scintillation will also be detectable with next generation telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array, 2000 antenna Deep Synoptic Array and the next generation Very Large Array, for a large fraction of events detected with third generation gravitational wave detectors. Finally, we discuss prospects for the measurement of the $H_0$ with VLBI observations of neutron star mergers and compare this technique to other standard siren methods.
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References
How the literature uses it
1 arXiv paper cite this in 2 sentences
Papers citing it · 1 sentence without a confident label
Cites it as background 1 paper
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The angular resolution of VLBI observations depends on the detector sensitivity, configuration, and source flux (see [ref] for a discussion of the detectability of the jet motion in future BNS mergers, and for the capabilities of current radio facilities).
Birefringence tests of gravity with multi-messenger binaries · Future measurements · 0.94
What it cites · 11 sentences without a confident label
Uses the method or tool of 1 paper
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Software: Astropy [ref] , Cmasher [ref] , Jupyter [ref] , Matplotlib [ref] , NE2001 [ref] , Numpy [ref]
NE2001.I. A New Model for the Galactic Distribution of Free Electrons and its Fluctuations · Acknowledgements · 1.00
Uses data or values from 2 papers
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Using the inferred neutron star merger rate (assuming a Gaussian mass distribution) from the first two LIGO observing runs [ref] , we find that in future observing runs 1–2 events per year will be useful for combined radio-GW measurements of $H_0$.
GW190425: Observation of a Compact Binary Coalescence with Total Mass $\sim 3.4 M_{\odot}$ · Hubble constant · 0.98
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We consider observations with the SKA-1 (mid) array at $ν=1.4$GHz, assuming a bandwidth of 770 MHz and a sensitivity of 1.2 $μ$Jy in a 3 hour integration [ref] .
Anticipated Performance of the Square Kilometre Array -- Phase 1 (SKA1) · Future Prospects: Next generation radio telescopes · 0.90
Cites as background 1 paper
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NE2001 has been widely used for scattering calculations in the past, but other electron density models including YMW16 [ref] , which uses similar techniques to NE2001, and RISS19 [ref] , which uses H$_α$ measurements to trace free electrons, may also be suitable and will produce qualitatively similar results.
Refractive Interstellar Scintillation of Extra-galactic Radio Sources I: Expectations · Observations of interstellar scintillation · 0.81
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