Speaker
Description
A kilonova is an electromagnetic transient powered by the radioactive decay of nuclei freshly
synthesized by the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). Its observation following the
gravitational wave event GW170817 provided the first evidence that the r-process operates in
neutron star mergers. Kilonova observations provide unique opportunities to learn about the in-
situ operation of the r-process, the distribution of elements produced in individual events, and
the dynamics of the event. Addressing these important questions requires to improve our
understanding of two fundamental ingredients of kilonova modelling. The first is related to
radioactive energy input that depends on the exact distribution of nuclei produced. The talk will
discuss the important role of beta-decays and fission and their possible fingerprints in kilonova
light curves. The second is related to the photon opacity of the material as it determines the
spectral evolution of the emission. The opacity is determined by bound-bound atomic transitions
and dominated by the contribution of Lanthanides and Actinides. First kilonova models based on
a complete set of atomic opacities will be presented and the main spectral features discussed.
