Infrared transient astronomy and gravitational wave follow-up with the Liverpool Telescope

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The modern era of wide field optical surveys is revealing new andexotic transient phenomena in unprecedented numbers. The infrared skyis relatively unexplored by comparison. However that is set to changedue to advances in infrared detector technology and new surveyfacilities, such as Gattini IR at Palomar Observatory. The goal ofthis project is to lead the Liverpool Telescope exploitation of theinfrared transient sky. The student will develop and then commision anew InGaAs camera on the telescope, with the aim of having it readyfor full robotic operations in early 2022. This camera will then beused in programmes of transient classification and follow-up. Theprimary targets of interest will be the counterparts of binary neutronstar mergers discovered by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration ofgravitational wave detectors. The fourth science run with thesedetectors is also due to begin in early 2022. Models of the isotropic`kilonova' signature of these merger events shows a strong colourevolution with a peak in the infrared, and this behaviour wasconfirmed by the follow-up of the GW170817 event. A sensitive infraredinstrument on a robotic telescope is therefore a powerful tool for theidentification and characterisation of candidate counterparts. Thestudent will lead the Liverpool Telescope contribution to thefollow-up effort in the O4 run.