Giudice, Ines Francesca (2026) Search for Electromagnetic Counterparts of Gravitational Waves from Binary Neutron Star mergers and Core-Collapse Supernovae. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

The advent of gravitational wave astronomy inaugurated a new era of multimessenger astrophysics, enabling the direct study of compact object mergers. Since the first detection of GWs in 2015, observations by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network transformed our understanding of compact binaries, while the joint gravitational and electromagnetic detection of GW170817 has demonstrated the extraordinary scientific potential of coordinated multimessenger observations. Nevertheless, the identification of electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational signals remains challenging, particularly for rapidly evolving and faint transients such as kilonovae, and future progress will require both methodological innovation and next-generation detector capabilities. This dissertation addresses these challenges by developing new strategies for multimessenger studies of two key astrophysical sources: binary neutron star mergers and core-collapse supernovae. The first part of the work focuses on enhancing the identification of counterparts to binary neutron stars mergers in the absence of a contemporaneous gravitational trigger. A data-driven, unsupervised clustering analysis of the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor catalog is employed to isolate a subpopulation of short gamma ray bursts with temporal and spectral properties consistent with known kilonova-associated events. In parallel, realistic simulations of kilonova and GRB afterglow light curves are performed under Vera C. Rubin Observatory observing conditions, exploring the impact of viewing angle, jet structure and environment on detectability. The second part of the dissertation investigates the scientific potential of 3rd generation gravitational wave detectors, with a particular focus on the Einstein Telescope. By employing the GWFish framework adapted to core collapse waveforms and realistic Galactic progenitor populations, we analyzed the detectability of core collapse gravitational signals within the Milky Way. The results show that ET will be capable of detecting the next Galactic core collapse supernova with high confidence, offering a unique probe of stellar collapse even in electromagnetically obscured regions. This analysis is extended to extragalactic distances through an evaluation of the core collapse rate in the local Universe, crucial to determine a realistic number of core collapse detection that can be expected within the nearby Universe and to develop observational strategies beyond the Milky Way. Overall, this thesis presents a coherent framework that bridges current and future observational capabilities in multimessenger astronomy, providing the fundaments for enhance the identification and analysis of transient phenomena.

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