A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet

K. D. Alexander; R. Margutti; P. K. Blanchard; W. Fong; E. Berger; A. Hajela; T. Eftekhari; R. Chornock; P. S. Cowperthwaite; D. Giannios; C. Guidorzi; A. Kathirgamaraju; A. Macfadyen; B. D. Metzger; M. Nicholl; L. Sironi; V. A. Villar; P. K.G. Williams; X. Xie; J. Zrake

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aad637

A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet

K. D. Alexander, R. Margutti, P. K. Blanchard, W. Fong, E. Berger, A. Hajela, T. Eftekhari, R. Chornock, P. S. Cowperthwaite, D. Giannios, C. Guidorzi, A. Kathirgamaraju, A. Macfadyen, B. D. Metzger, M. Nicholl, L. Sironi, V. A. Villar, P. K.G. Williams, X. Xie, J. Zrake

Astronomy & Astrophysics

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Abstract

We present new observations of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 at Δt ≈ 220-290 days post-merger, at radio (Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array; VLA), X-ray (Chandra X-ray Observatory), and optical (Hubble Space Telescope; HST) wavelengths. These observations provide the first evidence for a turnover in the X-ray light curve, mirroring a decline in the radio emission at 5σ significance. The radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution exhibits no evolution into the declining phase. Our full multi-wavelength data set is consistent with the predicted behavior of our previously published models of a successful structured jet expanding into a low-density circumbinary medium, but pure cocoon models with a choked jet cannot be ruled out. If future observations continue to track our predictions, we expect that the radio and X-ray emission will remain detectable until ∼1000 days post-merger.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L18
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	863
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad637
State	Published - Aug 20 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.3847/2041-8213/aad637

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Alexander, K. D., Margutti, R., Blanchard, P. K., Fong, W., Berger, E., Hajela, A., Eftekhari, T., Chornock, R., Cowperthwaite, P. S., Giannios, D., Guidorzi, C., Kathirgamaraju, A., Macfadyen, A., Metzger, B. D., Nicholl, M., Sironi, L., Villar, V. A., Williams, P. K. G., Xie, X., & Zrake, J. (2018). A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 863(2), Article L18. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad637

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title = "A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet",

abstract = "We present new observations of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 at Δt ≈ 220-290 days post-merger, at radio (Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array; VLA), X-ray (Chandra X-ray Observatory), and optical (Hubble Space Telescope; HST) wavelengths. These observations provide the first evidence for a turnover in the X-ray light curve, mirroring a decline in the radio emission at 5σ significance. The radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution exhibits no evolution into the declining phase. Our full multi-wavelength data set is consistent with the predicted behavior of our previously published models of a successful structured jet expanding into a low-density circumbinary medium, but pure cocoon models with a choked jet cannot be ruled out. If future observations continue to track our predictions, we expect that the radio and X-ray emission will remain detectable until ∼1000 days post-merger.",

author = "Alexander, {K. D.} and R. Margutti and Blanchard, {P. K.} and W. Fong and E. Berger and A. Hajela and T. Eftekhari and R. Chornock and Cowperthwaite, {P. S.} and D. Giannios and C. Guidorzi and A. Kathirgamaraju and A. Macfadyen and Metzger, {B. D.} and M. Nicholl and L. Sironi and Villar, {V. A.} and Williams, {P. K.G.} and X. Xie and J. Zrake",

year = "2018",

month = aug,

day = "20",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aad637",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "863",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

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Alexander, KD, Margutti, R, Blanchard, PK, Fong, W, Berger, E, Hajela, A, Eftekhari, T, Chornock, R, Cowperthwaite, PS, Giannios, D, Guidorzi, C, Kathirgamaraju, A, Macfadyen, A, Metzger, BD, Nicholl, M, Sironi, L, Villar, VA, Williams, PKG, Xie, X & Zrake, J 2018, 'A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 863, no. 2, L18. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad637

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet

AU - Alexander, K. D.

AU - Margutti, R.

AU - Blanchard, P. K.

AU - Fong, W.

AU - Berger, E.

AU - Hajela, A.

AU - Eftekhari, T.

AU - Chornock, R.

AU - Cowperthwaite, P. S.

AU - Giannios, D.

AU - Guidorzi, C.

AU - Kathirgamaraju, A.

AU - Macfadyen, A.

AU - Metzger, B. D.

AU - Nicholl, M.

AU - Sironi, L.

AU - Villar, V. A.

AU - Williams, P. K.G.

AU - Xie, X.

AU - Zrake, J.

PY - 2018/8/20

Y1 - 2018/8/20

N2 - We present new observations of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 at Δt ≈ 220-290 days post-merger, at radio (Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array; VLA), X-ray (Chandra X-ray Observatory), and optical (Hubble Space Telescope; HST) wavelengths. These observations provide the first evidence for a turnover in the X-ray light curve, mirroring a decline in the radio emission at 5σ significance. The radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution exhibits no evolution into the declining phase. Our full multi-wavelength data set is consistent with the predicted behavior of our previously published models of a successful structured jet expanding into a low-density circumbinary medium, but pure cocoon models with a choked jet cannot be ruled out. If future observations continue to track our predictions, we expect that the radio and X-ray emission will remain detectable until ∼1000 days post-merger.

AB - We present new observations of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 at Δt ≈ 220-290 days post-merger, at radio (Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array; VLA), X-ray (Chandra X-ray Observatory), and optical (Hubble Space Telescope; HST) wavelengths. These observations provide the first evidence for a turnover in the X-ray light curve, mirroring a decline in the radio emission at 5σ significance. The radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution exhibits no evolution into the declining phase. Our full multi-wavelength data set is consistent with the predicted behavior of our previously published models of a successful structured jet expanding into a low-density circumbinary medium, but pure cocoon models with a choked jet cannot be ruled out. If future observations continue to track our predictions, we expect that the radio and X-ray emission will remain detectable until ∼1000 days post-merger.

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JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

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M1 - L18

ER -

A Decline in the X-Ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-axis Structured Jet

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