Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993

We present a study of NGC 4993, the host galaxy of the GW170817 gravitational-wave event, the GRB 170817A short gamma-ray burst (sGRB), and the AT 2017gfo kilonova. We use Dark Energy Camera imaging, AAT spectra, and publicly available data, relating our findings to binary neutron star (BNS) formati...

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Main Authors:	Palmese, A., Hartley, W., Tarsitano, F., Conselice, Christopher J., Lahav, O., Allam, S., Annis, J., Lin, H., Soares-Santos, M., Tucker, D., Brout, D., Banerji, M., Bechtol, K., Diehl, H.T., Fruchter, A., García-Bellido, J., Herner, K., Levan, A.J., Li, T.S., Lidman, C., Misra, K., Sako, M., Scolnic, D., Smith, M., Abbott, T.M.C., Abdalla, F.B., Benoit-Lévy, A., Bertin, E., Brooks, D., Buckley-Geer, E., Rosell, A. Carnero, Kind, M. Carrasco, Carretero, J., Castander, F.J., Cunha, C.E., D’Andrea, C.B., da Costa, L.N., Davis, C., DePoy, D.L., Desai, S., Dietrich, J.P., Doel, P., Drlica-Wagner, A., Eifler, T.F., Evrard, A.E., Flaugher, B., Fosalba, P., Frieman, J., Gaztanaga, E., Gerdes, D.W., Giannantonio, T., Gruen, D., Gruendl, R.A., Gschwend, J., Gutierrez, G., Honscheid, K., Jain, B., James, D.J., Jeltema, T., Johnson, M.W.G., Johnson, M.D., Krause, E., Kron, R., Kuehn, K., Kuhlmann, S., Kuropatkin, N., Lima, M., Maia, M.A.G., March, M., Marshall, J.L., McMahon, R.G., Menanteau, F., Miller, C.J., Miquel, R., Neilsen, E., Ogando, R.L.C., Plazas, A.A., Reil, K., Romer, A.K., Sanchez, E., Schindler, R., Smith, R.C., Sobreira, F., Suchyta, E., Swanson, M.E.C., Tarle, G., Thomas, D., Thomas, R.C., Walker, A.R., Weller, J., Zhang, Y., Zuntz, J.
Format:	Article
Published:	American Astrophysical Society 2017
Subjects:	galaxies: individual (NGC 4993); galaxies: evolution; galaxies: structure – gravitational waves
Online Access:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48641/

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author	Palmese, A. Hartley, W. Tarsitano, F. Conselice, Christopher J. Lahav, O. Allam, S. Annis, J. Lin, H. Soares-Santos, M. Tucker, D. Brout, D. Banerji, M. Bechtol, K. Diehl, H.T. Fruchter, A. García-Bellido, J. Herner, K. Levan, A.J. Li, T.S. Lidman, C. Misra, K. Sako, M. Scolnic, D. Smith, M. Abbott, T.M.C. Abdalla, F.B. Benoit-Lévy, A. Bertin, E. Brooks, D. Buckley-Geer, E. Rosell, A. Carnero Kind, M. Carrasco Carretero, J. Castander, F.J. Cunha, C.E. D’Andrea, C.B. da Costa, L.N. Davis, C. DePoy, D.L. Desai, S. Dietrich, J.P. Doel, P. Drlica-Wagner, A. Eifler, T.F. Evrard, A.E. Flaugher, B. Fosalba, P. Frieman, J. Gaztanaga, E. Gerdes, D.W. Giannantonio, T. Gruen, D. Gruendl, R.A. Gschwend, J. Gutierrez, G. Honscheid, K. Jain, B. James, D.J. Jeltema, T. Johnson, M.W.G. Johnson, M.D. Krause, E. Kron, R. Kuehn, K. Kuhlmann, S. Kuropatkin, N. Lima, M. Maia, M.A.G. March, M. Marshall, J.L. McMahon, R.G. Menanteau, F. Miller, C.J. Miquel, R. Neilsen, E. Ogando, R.L.C. Plazas, A.A. Reil, K. Romer, A.K. Sanchez, E. Schindler, R. Smith, R.C. Sobreira, F. Suchyta, E. Swanson, M.E.C. Tarle, G. Thomas, D. Thomas, R.C. Walker, A.R. Weller, J. Zhang, Y. Zuntz, J.
author_facet	Palmese, A. Hartley, W. Tarsitano, F. Conselice, Christopher J. Lahav, O. Allam, S. Annis, J. Lin, H. Soares-Santos, M. Tucker, D. Brout, D. Banerji, M. Bechtol, K. Diehl, H.T. Fruchter, A. García-Bellido, J. Herner, K. Levan, A.J. Li, T.S. Lidman, C. Misra, K. Sako, M. Scolnic, D. Smith, M. Abbott, T.M.C. Abdalla, F.B. Benoit-Lévy, A. Bertin, E. Brooks, D. Buckley-Geer, E. Rosell, A. Carnero Kind, M. Carrasco Carretero, J. Castander, F.J. Cunha, C.E. D’Andrea, C.B. da Costa, L.N. Davis, C. DePoy, D.L. Desai, S. Dietrich, J.P. Doel, P. Drlica-Wagner, A. Eifler, T.F. Evrard, A.E. Flaugher, B. Fosalba, P. Frieman, J. Gaztanaga, E. Gerdes, D.W. Giannantonio, T. Gruen, D. Gruendl, R.A. Gschwend, J. Gutierrez, G. Honscheid, K. Jain, B. James, D.J. Jeltema, T. Johnson, M.W.G. Johnson, M.D. Krause, E. Kron, R. Kuehn, K. Kuhlmann, S. Kuropatkin, N. Lima, M. Maia, M.A.G. March, M. Marshall, J.L. McMahon, R.G. Menanteau, F. Miller, C.J. Miquel, R. Neilsen, E. Ogando, R.L.C. Plazas, A.A. Reil, K. Romer, A.K. Sanchez, E. Schindler, R. Smith, R.C. Sobreira, F. Suchyta, E. Swanson, M.E.C. Tarle, G. Thomas, D. Thomas, R.C. Walker, A.R. Weller, J. Zhang, Y. Zuntz, J.
author_sort	Palmese, A.
building	Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection	Online Access
description	We present a study of NGC 4993, the host galaxy of the GW170817 gravitational-wave event, the GRB 170817A short gamma-ray burst (sGRB), and the AT 2017gfo kilonova. We use Dark Energy Camera imaging, AAT spectra, and publicly available data, relating our findings to binary neutron star (BNS) formation scenarios and merger delay timescales. NGC 4993 is a nearby early-type galaxy, with an i-band Sérsic index n = 4.0 and low asymmetry (A = 0.04 ± 0.01). These properties are unusual for sGRB hosts. However, NGC 4993 presents shell-like structures and dust lanes indicative of a recent galaxy merger, with the optical transient located close to a shell. We constrain the star formation history (SFH) of the galaxy assuming that the galaxy merger produced a star formation burst, but find little to no ongoing star formation in either spatially resolved broadband SED or spectral fitting. We use the best-fit SFH to estimate the BNS merger rate in this type of galaxy, as ${R}_{\mathrm{NSM}}^{\mathrm{gal}}={5.7}_{-3.3}^{+0.57}\times {10}^{-6}{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$. If star formation is the only considered BNS formation scenario, the expected number of BNS mergers from early-type galaxies detectable with LIGO during its first two observing seasons is ${0.038}_{-0.022}^{+0.004}$, as opposed to ~0.5 from all galaxy types. Hypothesizing that the binary formed due to dynamical interactions during the galaxy merger, the subsequent time elapsed can constrain the delay time of the BNS coalescence. By using velocity dispersion estimates and the position of the shells, we find that the galaxy merger occurred t mer lesssim 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence.
first_indexed	2025-11-14T20:09:50Z
format	Article
id	nottingham-48641
institution	University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category	Local University
last_indexed	2025-11-14T20:09:50Z
publishDate	2017
publisher	American Astrophysical Society
recordtype	eprints
repository_type	Digital Repository
spelling	nottingham-486412020-05-04T19:17:06Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48641/ Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993 Palmese, A. Hartley, W. Tarsitano, F. Conselice, Christopher J. Lahav, O. Allam, S. Annis, J. Lin, H. Soares-Santos, M. Tucker, D. Brout, D. Banerji, M. Bechtol, K. Diehl, H.T. Fruchter, A. García-Bellido, J. Herner, K. Levan, A.J. Li, T.S. Lidman, C. Misra, K. Sako, M. Scolnic, D. Smith, M. Abbott, T.M.C. Abdalla, F.B. Benoit-Lévy, A. Bertin, E. Brooks, D. Buckley-Geer, E. Rosell, A. Carnero Kind, M. Carrasco Carretero, J. Castander, F.J. Cunha, C.E. D’Andrea, C.B. da Costa, L.N. Davis, C. DePoy, D.L. Desai, S. Dietrich, J.P. Doel, P. Drlica-Wagner, A. Eifler, T.F. Evrard, A.E. Flaugher, B. Fosalba, P. Frieman, J. Gaztanaga, E. Gerdes, D.W. Giannantonio, T. Gruen, D. Gruendl, R.A. Gschwend, J. Gutierrez, G. Honscheid, K. Jain, B. James, D.J. Jeltema, T. Johnson, M.W.G. Johnson, M.D. Krause, E. Kron, R. Kuehn, K. Kuhlmann, S. Kuropatkin, N. Lima, M. Maia, M.A.G. March, M. Marshall, J.L. McMahon, R.G. Menanteau, F. Miller, C.J. Miquel, R. Neilsen, E. Ogando, R.L.C. Plazas, A.A. Reil, K. Romer, A.K. Sanchez, E. Schindler, R. Smith, R.C. Sobreira, F. Suchyta, E. Swanson, M.E.C. Tarle, G. Thomas, D. Thomas, R.C. Walker, A.R. Weller, J. Zhang, Y. Zuntz, J. We present a study of NGC 4993, the host galaxy of the GW170817 gravitational-wave event, the GRB 170817A short gamma-ray burst (sGRB), and the AT 2017gfo kilonova. We use Dark Energy Camera imaging, AAT spectra, and publicly available data, relating our findings to binary neutron star (BNS) formation scenarios and merger delay timescales. NGC 4993 is a nearby early-type galaxy, with an i-band Sérsic index n = 4.0 and low asymmetry (A = 0.04 ± 0.01). These properties are unusual for sGRB hosts. However, NGC 4993 presents shell-like structures and dust lanes indicative of a recent galaxy merger, with the optical transient located close to a shell. We constrain the star formation history (SFH) of the galaxy assuming that the galaxy merger produced a star formation burst, but find little to no ongoing star formation in either spatially resolved broadband SED or spectral fitting. We use the best-fit SFH to estimate the BNS merger rate in this type of galaxy, as ${R}_{\mathrm{NSM}}^{\mathrm{gal}}={5.7}_{-3.3}^{+0.57}\times {10}^{-6}{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$. If star formation is the only considered BNS formation scenario, the expected number of BNS mergers from early-type galaxies detectable with LIGO during its first two observing seasons is ${0.038}_{-0.022}^{+0.004}$, as opposed to ~0.5 from all galaxy types. Hypothesizing that the binary formed due to dynamical interactions during the galaxy merger, the subsequent time elapsed can constrain the delay time of the BNS coalescence. By using velocity dispersion estimates and the position of the shells, we find that the galaxy merger occurred t mer lesssim 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence. American Astrophysical Society 2017-11-09 Article PeerReviewed Palmese, A., Hartley, W., Tarsitano, F., Conselice, Christopher J., Lahav, O., Allam, S., Annis, J., Lin, H., Soares-Santos, M., Tucker, D., Brout, D., Banerji, M., Bechtol, K., Diehl, H.T., Fruchter, A., García-Bellido, J., Herner, K., Levan, A.J., Li, T.S., Lidman, C., Misra, K., Sako, M., Scolnic, D., Smith, M., Abbott, T.M.C., Abdalla, F.B., Benoit-Lévy, A., Bertin, E., Brooks, D., Buckley-Geer, E., Rosell, A. Carnero, Kind, M. Carrasco, Carretero, J., Castander, F.J., Cunha, C.E., D’Andrea, C.B., da Costa, L.N., Davis, C., DePoy, D.L., Desai, S., Dietrich, J.P., Doel, P., Drlica-Wagner, A., Eifler, T.F., Evrard, A.E., Flaugher, B., Fosalba, P., Frieman, J., Gaztanaga, E., Gerdes, D.W., Giannantonio, T., Gruen, D., Gruendl, R.A., Gschwend, J., Gutierrez, G., Honscheid, K., Jain, B., James, D.J., Jeltema, T., Johnson, M.W.G., Johnson, M.D., Krause, E., Kron, R., Kuehn, K., Kuhlmann, S., Kuropatkin, N., Lima, M., Maia, M.A.G., March, M., Marshall, J.L., McMahon, R.G., Menanteau, F., Miller, C.J., Miquel, R., Neilsen, E., Ogando, R.L.C., Plazas, A.A., Reil, K., Romer, A.K., Sanchez, E., Schindler, R., Smith, R.C., Sobreira, F., Suchyta, E., Swanson, M.E.C., Tarle, G., Thomas, D., Thomas, R.C., Walker, A.R., Weller, J., Zhang, Y. and Zuntz, J. (2017) Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993. The Astrophysical Journal, 849 (2). L34. ISSN 2041-8213 galaxies: individual (NGC 4993); galaxies: evolution; galaxies: structure – gravitational waves http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660/meta doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660 doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660
spellingShingle	galaxies: individual (NGC 4993); galaxies: evolution; galaxies: structure – gravitational waves Palmese, A. Hartley, W. Tarsitano, F. Conselice, Christopher J. Lahav, O. Allam, S. Annis, J. Lin, H. Soares-Santos, M. Tucker, D. Brout, D. Banerji, M. Bechtol, K. Diehl, H.T. Fruchter, A. García-Bellido, J. Herner, K. Levan, A.J. Li, T.S. Lidman, C. Misra, K. Sako, M. Scolnic, D. Smith, M. Abbott, T.M.C. Abdalla, F.B. Benoit-Lévy, A. Bertin, E. Brooks, D. Buckley-Geer, E. Rosell, A. Carnero Kind, M. Carrasco Carretero, J. Castander, F.J. Cunha, C.E. D’Andrea, C.B. da Costa, L.N. Davis, C. DePoy, D.L. Desai, S. Dietrich, J.P. Doel, P. Drlica-Wagner, A. Eifler, T.F. Evrard, A.E. Flaugher, B. Fosalba, P. Frieman, J. Gaztanaga, E. Gerdes, D.W. Giannantonio, T. Gruen, D. Gruendl, R.A. Gschwend, J. Gutierrez, G. Honscheid, K. Jain, B. James, D.J. Jeltema, T. Johnson, M.W.G. Johnson, M.D. Krause, E. Kron, R. Kuehn, K. Kuhlmann, S. Kuropatkin, N. Lima, M. Maia, M.A.G. March, M. Marshall, J.L. McMahon, R.G. Menanteau, F. Miller, C.J. Miquel, R. Neilsen, E. Ogando, R.L.C. Plazas, A.A. Reil, K. Romer, A.K. Sanchez, E. Schindler, R. Smith, R.C. Sobreira, F. Suchyta, E. Swanson, M.E.C. Tarle, G. Thomas, D. Thomas, R.C. Walker, A.R. Weller, J. Zhang, Y. Zuntz, J. Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title	Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title_full	Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title_fullStr	Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title_full_unstemmed	Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title_short	Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993
title_sort	evidence for dynamically driven formation of the gw170817 neutron star binary in ngc 4993
topic	galaxies: individual (NGC 4993); galaxies: evolution; galaxies: structure – gravitational waves
url	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48641/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48641/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48641/

Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993

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