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A comparison between short GRB afterglows and kilonova AT2017gfo: shedding light on kilonovae properties

A. RossiINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyG. StrattaINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyE. MaioranoINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyD SpighiINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyN. MasettiDepartamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Andrés Bello, Av. Fernández Concha 700, 7591538 Las Condes, Santiago, ChileE. PalazziINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyA. GardiniInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainA. MelandriINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (LC), ItalyL. NicastroINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyE. PianINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyM. BranchesiGran Sasso Science Institute, Viale F. Crispi 7, I-67100 L’Aquila, ItalyM. DadinaINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyV. TestaINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyE. BrocatoNational Institute for AstrophysicsS. BenettiINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, ItalyR. CiolfiINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, ItalyS. CovinoINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (LC), ItalyV. D’EliaASI-Science Data Center, via del Politecnico snc, I-00133 Rome, ItalyA. GradoINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, salita Moiariello 16, I-80131 Napoli, ItalyL. IzzoInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainAlbino PeregoUniversità degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo, 1, I-20126, Milano, ItalyS. PiranomonteINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyR. SalvaterraINAF – Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano, via E. Bassini 15, I-20133 Milano, ItalyJ. SelsingL. TomasellaINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, ItalyS. YangINAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, ItalyD. VerganiINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyL. AmatiINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyJ. B. StephenINAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Piero Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
2020en
ABI

Abstract

ABSTRACT Multimessenger astronomy received a great boost following the discovery of kilonova (KN) AT2017gfo, the optical counterpart of the gravitational wave source GW170817 associated with the short gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A. AT2017gfo was the first KN that could be extensively monitored in time using both photometry and spectroscopy. Previously, only few candidates have been observed against the glare of short GRB afterglows. In this work, we aim to search the fingerprints of AT2017gfo-like KN emissions in the optical/NIR light curves of 39 short GRBs with known redshift. For the first time, our results allow us to study separately the range of luminosity of the blue and red components of AT2017gfo-like kilonovae in short GRBs. In particular, the red component is similar in luminosity to AT2017gfo, while the blue KN can be more than 10 times brighter. Finally, we exclude a KN as luminous as AT2017gfo in GRBs 050509B and 061201.

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