Overall, my research focuses on radio observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). One aspect of my research is following up on GRBs that come from the collisions of neutron stars. We can use observations from the radio to X-rays to track the light that comes from these explosions, known as the "afterglow." Through modeling the afterglow, we can learn about the explosion, which may lead to information about the neutron stars that merged, as well as the final product of the merger, which is expected to be either an even more massive neutron star or a black hole.
If the merger produces an even more massive neutron star, it would have a very high magnetic field, known as a "magnetar." This magnetar would energize the ejecta from the merger as it spins down, and that would, in turn, produce radio emission that peaks years after the merger. A second aspect of my research is searching for this late-rising radio signature, in order to determine whether a magnetar was produced. So far, we have not detected any of these radio emissions, but a non-detection still helps us place limits on the maximum mass of a neutron star, which is a major unanswered question in astronomy.