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

A. Palmese; W. Hartley; F. Tarsitano; C. Conselice; O. Lahav; S. Allam; J. Annis; H. Lin; M. Soares-Santos; D. Tucker; D. Brout; M. Banerji; K. Bechtol; H. T. Diehl; A. Fruchter; J. Garcia-Bellido; K. Herner; A. J. Levan; T. S. Li; C. Lidman; K. Misra; M. Sako; D. Scolnic; M. Smith; T. M. C. Abbott; F. B. Abdalla; A. Benoit-Levy; E. Bertin; D. Brooks; E. Buckley-Geer; A. Carnero Rosell; M. Carrasco Kind; J. Carretero; F. J. Castander; C. E. Cunha; C. B. D'Andrea; L. N. da Costa; C. Davis; D. L. DePoy; S. Desai; J. P. Dietrich; P. Doel; A. Drlica-Wagner; T. F. Eifler; A. E. Evrard; B. Flaugher; P. Fosalba; J. Frieman; E. Gaztanaga; D. W. Gerdes; T. Giannantonio; D. Gruen; R. A. Gruendl; J. Gschwend; G. Gutierrez; K. Honscheid; B. Jain; D. J. James; T. Jeltema; M. W. G. Johnson; M. D. Johnson; E. Krause; R. Kron; K. Kuehn; S. Kuhlmann; N. Kuropatkin; M. Lima; M. A. G. Maia; M. March; J. L. Marshall; R. G. McMahon; F. Menanteau; C. J. Miller; R. Miquel; E. Neilsen; R. L. C. Ogando; A. A. Plazas; K. Reil; A. K. Romer; E. Sanchez; R. Schindler; R. C. Smith; F. Sobreira; E. Suchyta; M. E. C. Swanson; G. Tarle; D. Thomas; R. C. Thomas; A. R. Walker; J. Weller; Y. Zhang; J. Zuntz

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

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

A. Palmese, W. Hartley, F. Tarsitano, C. Conselice, O. Lahav, S. Allam, J. Annis, H. Lin, M. Soares-Santos, D. Tucker, D. Brout, M. Banerji, K. Bechtol, H. T. Diehl, A. Fruchter, J. Garcia-Bellido, K. Herner, A. J. Levan, T. S. Li, C. LidmanK. Misra, M. Sako, D. Scolnic, M. Smith, T. M. C. Abbott, F. B. Abdalla, A. Benoit-Levy, E. Bertin, D. Brooks, E. Buckley-Geer, A. Carnero Rosell, M. Carrasco Kind, J. Carretero, F. J. Castander, C. E. Cunha, C. B. D'Andrea, L. N. da Costa, C. Davis, D. L. DePoy, S. Desai, J. P. Dietrich, P. Doel, A. Drlica-Wagner, T. F. Eifler, A. E. Evrard, B. Flaugher, P. Fosalba, J. Frieman, E. Gaztanaga, D. W. Gerdes, T. Giannantonio, D. Gruen, R. A. Gruendl, J. Gschwend, G. Gutierrez, K. Honscheid, B. Jain, D. J. James, T. Jeltema, M. W. G. Johnson, M. D. Johnson, E. Krause, R. Kron, K. Kuehn, S. Kuhlmann, N. Kuropatkin, M. Lima, M. A. G. Maia, M. March, J. L. Marshall, R. G. McMahon, F. Menanteau, C. J. Miller, R. Miquel, E. Neilsen, R. L. C. Ogando, A. A. Plazas, K. Reil, A. K. Romer, E. Sanchez, R. Schindler, R. C. Smith, F. Sobreira, E. Suchyta, M. E. C. Swanson, G. Tarle, D. Thomas, R. C. Thomas, A. R. Walker, J. Weller, Y. Zhang, J. Zuntz

Institute of Cosmology & Gravitation

University of Southampton

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Abstract

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 NSM gal = 5.7 -3.3 +0.57 times 10^-6 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 ≲ 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence.

Original language	English
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	849
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660
Publication status	Published - 9 Nov 2017

Keywords

astro-ph.HE
astro-ph.CO
astro-ph.GA
galaxies: individual (NGC 4993)
galaxies: evolution
galaxies: structure
gravitational waves
RCUK
STFC
AST-1138766
AST-1536171

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10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

1710.06748v2
A. Palmese et al 2017 ApJL 849 L34. Reproduced by permission of the AAS.
Accepted author manuscript (Post-print), 5.09 MB

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Palmese, A., Hartley, W., Tarsitano, F., Conselice, C., Lahav, O., Allam, S., Annis, J., Lin, H., Soares-Santos, M., Tucker, D., Brout, D., Banerji, M., Bechtol, K., Diehl, H. T., Fruchter, A., Garcia-Bellido, J., Herner, K., Levan, A. J., Li, T. S., ... Zuntz, J. (2017). Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 849(2). https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

@article{66a7068769ba452eac6b8249e70ccd2d,

title = "Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993",

abstract = "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 S{\'e}rsic 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 NSM gal = 5.7 -3.3 +0.57 times 10-6 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 ≲ 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence.",

keywords = "astro-ph.HE, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.GA, galaxies: individual (NGC 4993), galaxies: evolution, galaxies: structure, gravitational waves, RCUK, STFC, AST-1138766, AST-1536171",

author = "A. Palmese and W. Hartley and F. Tarsitano and C. Conselice and O. Lahav and S. Allam and J. Annis and H. Lin and M. Soares-Santos and D. Tucker and D. Brout and M. Banerji and K. Bechtol and Diehl, {H. T.} and A. Fruchter and J. Garcia-Bellido and K. Herner and Levan, {A. J.} and Li, {T. S.} and C. Lidman and K. Misra and M. Sako and D. Scolnic and M. Smith and Abbott, {T. M. C.} and Abdalla, {F. B.} and A. Benoit-Levy and E. Bertin and D. Brooks and E. Buckley-Geer and Rosell, {A. Carnero} and Kind, {M. Carrasco} and J. Carretero and Castander, {F. J.} and Cunha, {C. E.} and D'Andrea, {C. B.} and Costa, {L. N. da} and C. Davis and DePoy, {D. L.} and S. Desai and Dietrich, {J. P.} and P. Doel and A. Drlica-Wagner and Eifler, {T. F.} and Evrard, {A. E.} and B. Flaugher and P. Fosalba and J. Frieman and E. Gaztanaga and Gerdes, {D. W.} and T. Giannantonio and D. Gruen and Gruendl, {R. A.} and J. Gschwend and G. Gutierrez and K. Honscheid and B. Jain and James, {D. J.} and T. Jeltema and Johnson, {M. W. G.} and Johnson, {M. D.} and E. Krause and R. Kron and K. Kuehn and S. Kuhlmann and N. Kuropatkin and M. Lima and Maia, {M. A. G.} and M. March and Marshall, {J. L.} and McMahon, {R. G.} and F. Menanteau and Miller, {C. J.} and R. Miquel and E. Neilsen and Ogando, {R. L. C.} and Plazas, {A. A.} and K. Reil and Romer, {A. K.} and E. Sanchez and R. Schindler and Smith, {R. C.} and F. Sobreira and E. Suchyta and Swanson, {M. E. C.} and G. Tarle and D. Thomas and Thomas, {R. C.} and Walker, {A. R.} and J. Weller and Y. Zhang and J. Zuntz",

note = "9 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Edited to match the ApJL version",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "9",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660",

language = "English",

volume = "849",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing",

number = "2",

}

Palmese, A, Hartley, W, Tarsitano, F, Conselice, C, Lahav, O, Allam, S, Annis, J, Lin, H, Soares-Santos, M, Tucker, D, Brout, D, Banerji, M, Bechtol, K, Diehl, HT, Fruchter, A, Garcia-Bellido, J, Herner, K, Levan, AJ, Li, TS, Lidman, C, Misra, K, Sako, M, Scolnic, D, Smith, M, Abbott, TMC, Abdalla, FB, Benoit-Levy, A, Bertin, E, Brooks, D, Buckley-Geer, E, Rosell, AC, Kind, MC, Carretero, J, Castander, FJ, Cunha, CE, D'Andrea, CB, Costa, LND, Davis, C, DePoy, DL, Desai, S, Dietrich, JP, Doel, P, Drlica-Wagner, A, Eifler, TF, Evrard, AE, Flaugher, B, Fosalba, P, Frieman, J, Gaztanaga, E, Gerdes, DW, Giannantonio, T, Gruen, D, Gruendl, RA, Gschwend, J, Gutierrez, G, Honscheid, K, Jain, B, James, DJ, Jeltema, T, Johnson, MWG, Johnson, MD, Krause, E, Kron, R, Kuehn, K, Kuhlmann, S, Kuropatkin, N, Lima, M, Maia, MAG, March, M, Marshall, JL, McMahon, RG, Menanteau, F, Miller, CJ, Miquel, R, Neilsen, E, Ogando, RLC, Plazas, AA, Reil, K, Romer, AK, Sanchez, E, Schindler, R, Smith, RC, Sobreira, F, Suchyta, E, Swanson, MEC, Tarle, G, Thomas, D, Thomas, RC, Walker, AR, Weller, J, Zhang, Y & Zuntz, J 2017, 'Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 849, no. 2. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for dynamically driven formation of the GW170817 neutron star binary in NGC 4993

AU - Palmese, A.

AU - Hartley, W.

AU - Tarsitano, F.

AU - Conselice, C.

AU - Lahav, O.

AU - Allam, S.

AU - Annis, J.

AU - Lin, H.

AU - Soares-Santos, M.

AU - Tucker, D.

AU - Brout, D.

AU - Banerji, M.

AU - Bechtol, K.

AU - Diehl, H. T.

AU - Fruchter, A.

AU - Garcia-Bellido, J.

AU - Herner, K.

AU - Levan, A. J.

AU - Li, T. S.

AU - Lidman, C.

AU - Misra, K.

AU - Sako, M.

AU - Scolnic, D.

AU - Smith, M.

AU - Abbott, T. M. C.

AU - Abdalla, F. B.

AU - Benoit-Levy, A.

AU - Bertin, E.

AU - Brooks, D.

AU - Buckley-Geer, E.

AU - Rosell, A. Carnero

AU - Kind, M. Carrasco

AU - Carretero, J.

AU - Castander, F. J.

AU - Cunha, C. E.

AU - D'Andrea, C. B.

AU - Costa, L. N. da

AU - Davis, C.

AU - DePoy, D. L.

AU - Desai, S.

AU - Dietrich, J. P.

AU - Doel, P.

AU - Drlica-Wagner, A.

AU - Eifler, T. F.

AU - Evrard, A. E.

AU - Flaugher, B.

AU - Fosalba, P.

AU - Frieman, J.

AU - Gaztanaga, E.

AU - Gerdes, D. W.

AU - Giannantonio, T.

AU - Gruen, D.

AU - Gruendl, R. A.

AU - Gschwend, J.

AU - Gutierrez, G.

AU - Honscheid, K.

AU - Jain, B.

AU - James, D. J.

AU - Jeltema, T.

AU - Johnson, M. W. G.

AU - Johnson, M. D.

AU - Krause, E.

AU - Kron, R.

AU - Kuehn, K.

AU - Kuhlmann, S.

AU - Kuropatkin, N.

AU - Lima, M.

AU - Maia, M. A. G.

AU - March, M.

AU - Marshall, J. L.

AU - McMahon, R. G.

AU - Menanteau, F.

AU - Miller, C. J.

AU - Miquel, R.

AU - Neilsen, E.

AU - Ogando, R. L. C.

AU - Plazas, A. A.

AU - Reil, K.

AU - Romer, A. K.

AU - Sanchez, E.

AU - Schindler, R.

AU - Smith, R. C.

AU - Sobreira, F.

AU - Suchyta, E.

AU - Swanson, M. E. C.

AU - Tarle, G.

AU - Thomas, D.

AU - Thomas, R. C.

AU - Walker, A. R.

AU - Weller, J.

AU - Zhang, Y.

AU - Zuntz, J.

N1 - 9 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Edited to match the ApJL version

PY - 2017/11/9

Y1 - 2017/11/9

N2 - 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 NSM gal = 5.7 -3.3 +0.57 times 10-6 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 ≲ 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence.

AB - 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 NSM gal = 5.7 -3.3 +0.57 times 10-6 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 ≲ 200 Myr prior to the BNS coalescence.

KW - astro-ph.HE

KW - astro-ph.CO

KW - astro-ph.GA

KW - galaxies: individual (NGC 4993)

KW - galaxies: evolution

KW - galaxies: structure

KW - gravitational waves

KW - RCUK

KW - STFC

KW - AST-1138766

KW - AST-1536171

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa9660

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 849

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

ER -

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

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Keywords

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