Polarization of the first-hour macronovae

TL;DR

Early polarimetric observations of macronovae can reveal ejecta geometry and free nucleon content, providing insights into the emission mechanisms within the first hour after neutron star mergers.

Contribution

This paper proposes using polarimetry to distinguish free nucleon-rich ejecta from r-process element-rich ejecta in early macronova emissions, a novel approach.

Findings

Polarization can reach ~3% within 0.3-1 hour if free nucleons are present.

Polarimetry helps determine ejecta morphology and nucleon content.

Method enables discrimination of emission mechanisms in early macronovae.

Abstract

Macronovae (or kilonovae) are the optical and NIR counterparts of binary neutron star mergers. While the macronova in GW170817 was detected about 10 hours after the GW detection, future observations can possibly detect them within the first hour after the merger. Early- time macronovae are potentially powered by some mechanisms such as the beta-decay heating of the surviving free neutrons. In this paper, we propose that the polarimetric observation can be a useful tool to study the early macronova emissions. If free nucleons remain in the outermost layer of the ejecta, the electron scattering produces a larger polarization than that by the r-process element-rich ejecta. The degree of polarization can show a large value of $\sim3\%$ for the first $0.3-1$ hour for the free nucleon mass of $10^{-5}-10^{-4}\,M_{\odot}$. Quick polarimetric observations enable us to study not only the aspherical morphology of the ejecta but also the amount of the free nucleons in the ejecta, which is helpful to discriminate the emission mechanisms of the early macronovae.