Observations of the First Electromagnetic Counterpart to a Gravitational-wave Source by the TOROS Collaboration

Authors

Mario C. Diaz, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
L. M. Macri
D. Garcia Lambas
C. Mendes De Oliveira
Martin Beroiz, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Moises Castillo, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Richard Camuccio, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
J. Garcia, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Adam Zadrozny, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-20-2017

Abstract

We present the results of prompt optical follow-up of the electromagnetic counterpart of the gravitational-wave event GW170817 by the Transient Optical Robotic Observatory of the South Collaboration. We detected highly significant dimming in the light curves of the counterpart (Δg=0.17±0.03 mag, Δr=0.14±0.02 mag, Δi=0.10±0.03 mag) over the course of only 80 minutes of observations obtained ∼35 hr after the trigger with the T80-South telescope. A second epoch of observations, obtained ∼59 hr after the event with the EABA 1.5 m telescope, confirms the fast fading nature of the transient. The observed colors of the counterpart suggest that this event was a "blue kilonova" relatively free of lanthanides.

Comments

© Astrophysical Journal Letters. Original version available at: http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9060

Recommended Citation

Díaz, Mario Claudio, Lucas M. Macri, D. Garcia Lambas, C. Mendes De Oliveira, JL Nilo Castellón, T. Ribeiro, B. Sánchez et al. "Observations of the First Electromagnetic Counterpart to a Gravitational-wave Source by the TOROS Collaboration." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 848, no. 2 (2017): L29. http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9060

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI

10.3847/2041-8213/aa9060