Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Nuclear reactions may affect gravitational-wave signals from neutron-star mergers, but the impact is uncertain. To indicate the significance of this effect, we compare two numerical simulations representing intuitive extremes. In one case, reactions happen instantaneously. In the other case, they occur on timescales much slower than the evolutionary timescale. We show that, while the differences in the two gravitational-wave signals are small, the mismatch between them satisfies the condition for distinguishability using the Einstein Telescope noise curve, assuming that the neutron-star equation of state can be well constrained by experiments or by the postmerger signal of the event. This suggests that, to avoid systematic errors in equation of state parameters inferred from observed signals, we need to accurately implement nuclear reactions in future simulations.
Authors: P. Hammond, I. Hawke, N. Andersson
Institution: University of Southampton
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4321445756