Abstract for Proposal 096405

XMM-Newton observations of the next multi-messenger breakthrough

The discovery of the gravitational wave (GW) transient GW170817, the first multi-messenger event observed through GWs and light, gave astronomers the unprecedented opportunity to probe a collision (or merger) of two neutron stars, solving decade-long mysteries about the origin of short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and the production of elements heavier than iron. Here we propose to use the unique capabilities of XMM-Newton together with NuSTAR to make the next multi-messenger breakthrough observations.

Details on Observing Strategy and Trigger Criteria
1) Rapid ToO: GW counterpart with arcmin localization, reaction time < 24 hr 2) Spectral study: GW afterglow with flux >2e-14 erg cm2 s and no contamination from nearby sources, joint with NUSTAR, reaction time > 10 d