Constraining gravity with hadron physics: neutron stars, modified gravity and gravitational waves

TL;DR

This paper explores how gravitational wave observations from neutron stars can be used to test and constrain both hadron physics, such as the equation of state, and theories of gravity, including modified f(R) gravity.

Contribution

It reviews recent developments in using neutron star data to simultaneously constrain hadron physics and alternative gravity theories, highlighting the interplay between them.

Findings

Neutron star observations can test modified gravity theories.

Advances in the neutron matter equation of state inform gravity constraints.

Gravitational wave data helps refine models of dense hadronic matter.

Abstract

The finding of Gravitational Waves by the aLIGO scientific and VIRGO collaborations opens opportunities to better test and understand strong interactions, both nuclear-hadronic and gravitational. Assuming General Relativity holds, one can constrain hadron physics at a neutron star. But precise knowledge of the Equation of State and transport properties in hadron matter can also be used to constrain the theory of gravity itself. I review a couple of these opportunities in the context of modified f(R) gravity, the maximum mass of neutron stars, and progress in the Equation of State of neutron matter from the chiral effective field theory of QCD.