Precision measurements of kilonova properties like ejecta mass, geometry, and velocity are critical to informing our understanding of neutron star mergers, the neutron star equation of state, and their contribution to the r-process enrichment of the universe. Estimates of these properties are highly model-dependent and often do not incorporate the systematic uncertainties due to unconstrained...
In its 20 years, Swift has provided fundamental clues towards understanding the source(s) of heavy “r-process” elements (A > 130; e.g., gold, platinum, uranium) in the Universe. Indeed, with Swift’s precise burst localization capabilities, 11 GRBs have been associated with probable kilonovae (KNe), the transients produced from neutron star (NS) mergers powered by the radioactive decay of...
Swift is an ideal discovery machine to detect, characterize and precisely localize the electromagnetic counterpart of gravitational waves (GWs). In this presentation, I will review the latest advancements on the systematic monitoring by Swift of GWs detected during the current and previous observing runs of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration. I will discuss possible joint coincidences...
To date, Swift is the most successful discovery engine of the electromagnetic counterparts to neutron star (NS) mergers. In its two decades, Swift has revealed dozens of on-axis afterglows, several kilonovae, and a surprising signal from NS mergers: long-duration GRBs. In this talk, I will present our compilation of NS merger counterparts observed following Swift GRBs and modeled in a uniform...
The UltraViolet EXplorer (UVEX) is a Medium-Class Explorer (MIDEX) mission selected by NASA for launch in 2030. UVEX will conduct an unprecedented all-sky time-domain survey in two UV filters. UVEX will follow up GW binary neutron star mergers as targets of opportunity, rapidly scanning across their localization regions to search for their kilonova counterparts. Early-time multiband...
