2023-03-24 Abstract
Title: The aftermath of neutron star mergers: heavy element production and kilonovae
Speaker: Rodrigo Fernandez (University of Alberta)
Date: March 24 at 14:30
Location: R521, General Building II
Abstract:
The outflow launched by the accretion disk formed after a neutron star merger is an important contributor to the total ejecta from the merger, and hence to the kilonova emission and heavy element yield. The amount of mass ejected and the kinematic, thermodynamic, and compositional properties of the ejecta have many dependencies, making up for a rich landscape of possibilities. I will provide an overview of the problem, and discuss progress in our understanding of this landscape on 3 of its dependencies: the gravitational compactness of the disk, the post-merger magnetic field configuration, and the extent of neutrino flavor transformation by the fast flavor instability.