Abstract for Proposal 088306
Identify the fingerprints of r-process heavy metals in a short GRB
The afterglow of some nearby short GRBs displays a late-time
rebrightening, visible in the near-infrared a few days after the
burst. HST observations provided convincing evidence that such late-time
bump could be explained as kilonova emission. This provides a direct
link to neutron star (NS) mergers, and a compelling proof for the
synthesis of heavy nuclei through the rapid neutron capture process
(r-process). We propose a multi-wavelength follow-up campaign of a nearby
(z<0.4) short GRB in order to detect the kilonova bump and constrain
its properties. Multi-band observations, and in particular X-rays,
are critical to pin down the nature of the observed rebrightening,
and to distinguish it from standard afterglow emission.
Details on Observing Strategy and Trigger Criteria
TRIGGER CRITERIA: Short duration GRB at z<0.4 and with weak optical/IR
afterglow (M~-14.5 AB mag at 5 d) REACTION TIME: 3-5 days for XMM-Newton
OBSERVING STRATEGY: Observations will be triggered as soon as the redshift
is known.