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Kilonovae, short gamma-ray bursts & neutron star mergers
This Collection of research and comment from Nature Research focuses on the electromagnetic counterparts to the gravitational wave event GW 170817 from the merger of two neutron stars. LIGO’s first three gravitational wave detections, and LIGO-Virgo’s first, all originated from mergers of black holes. These momentous black-hole clashes produced gravitational waves that were audible to LIGO-Virgo but there was nothing to see. But a neutron star merger is different. Following GW 170817, a short gamma ray burst and kilonova occurred, releasing photons across a wide electromagnetic spectrum: from radio waves to infrared to visible to X-rays to gamma rays. The Research papers published in Nature and Nature Astronomy cover some of these counterpart signals. Welcome to the era of gravitational wave astrophysics.
The discovery of gravitational waves from a neutron-star merger and the detection of the event across the electromagnetic spectrum give insight into many aspects of gravity and astrophysics. See Letter p.64, p.67, p.71, p.75 & p.80
The detection of a gravitational wave was a historic event that heralded a new phase of astronomy. A numerical model of the Universe now allows researchers to tell the story of the black-hole system that caused the wave. See Letter p.512
Discovering gravitational waves would not only validate Einstein's theory of gravitation but also reveal aspects of the Universe's earliest moments. The hunt for these elusive ripples is now well under way.
The first detection of electromagnetic emission from a gravitational wave source bridges the gap between one of the most energetic phenomena in the Universe and their dark, difficult to detect progenitors.