Cosmic Baby and the r-process Nucleosynthesis

Authors: Ramen Kumar Parui

DOI: 10.23880/oaja-16000110

Volume 2, Issue 1

Abstract

Astrophysical origin of the rapid neutron capture process (i.e., r-process) remains a mystery. Among the known r-process sites radio-actively powered kilonova, produced by binary neutron star mergers, attracted the astronomers a promising source in the light of gravitational wave radiation. The first detected binary neutron star merger event GW170817 confirmed the existence of binary neutron star (BNS) in nature while its associated properties such as transient electro-magnetic emission in the form of x-rays, long and short gamma ray bursts (l, s GRBs), First Radio Bursts (FRBs) offer the astronomer to rethink about the origin of the r-process abundances in the light of Magnetars, created in both supernova explosion and also in neutron star merger, as a r-process contributor. Recently detected Cosmic Baby i.e. Swift J1818.0 – 1607 is a young magnetar of 240 years aged with super-strong magnetic fields ~ 8.9424 x 1017 G and ellipticity ~ 9 x 10-3. Due to its youngness among the 31 detected magnetars till today, it may provide x-ray lines emitted by the r-process abundances which makes it as an important promising source in the eyes of LOFT, NuSTAR detectors. This author proposes that this cosmic baby can be considered as a suitable astrophysical source decoding of its observed results may unravel the realistic situations of the magnetar at the time of merger, supernova explosion, etc. for generation of super heavy elements like Eu, Ti.

Keywords: Gravitational Wave; Binary Neutron Stars; Magnetars; r-Process

View PDF