EM counterparts to NS mergers and spin of BBH mergers

Kenta Hotokezaka (CCA)

October 16, 2017

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Abstract: Joint GW and EM observations of neutron star mergers will reveal the nature of mergers. I will discuss possible EM signals associated with neutron star mergers including: (i) short gamma-ray burst, (ii) its afterglow, (iii) r-process kilonova/macronova, and (iv) long-lasting radio flare. I also discuss astrophysical implications from detections of these signals. The second part of the talk, I will discuss the implications of the spin measurements of binary black hole mergers to the field binary scenario. Using the tidal synchronization arguments, I will show that massive Wolf-Rayet stars are possible progenitors of the binary black hole mergers detected by LIGO. I will also show the spin distribution for the field binary scenario.