Speaker
Description
The spectroscopic data obtained for AT2017gfo remain the only spectral observations of a kilonova event. These data, despite being obtained ~6 years ago, are still not fully understood, and still contain a number of unexplored features. Composition studies investigating the abundance of the synthesised r-process material have proven challenging to undertake. Proposed identifications of individual elements include tellurium, caesium, strontium, lanthanum, cerium and helium. In this talk, I will present an overview of my analysis of the AT2017gfo spectra. Specifically, I have analysed the observed spectra (spanning from just after merger, through to late times) with a range of techniques, of differing complexity. First, I will present my detailed TARDIS modelling carried out at early times to constrain the ejecta properties (e.g., velocity and composition). Second, I will highlight my recently submitted work on the later epoch spectra, where I investigated the potential presence of strontium at late times. In this study, I also identified seven emission features present at late times, and I will summarise my investigation into their properties and evolution, and the results of a line identification search.
