The Geometry, Energetics, and Environment of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817: The Radio View
I will discuss the major uncertainties regarding the geometry, energetics, and environment of the first EM/GW binary neutron star merger GW170817. In particular I will look at the origin of the radio emission, how it differs from the early-time optical/infrared emission, and what that tells us about how the explosion proceeded. I will show how constraints from the radio lightcurve, polarization, and Very Long Baseline Interferometry helped provide evidence for a broad, mildly relativistic "cocoon" along with a narrow jet. This broke degeneracies in the gravitational wave data analysis to provide inclination constraints and improved measurements of the Hubble Constant.