Neutron stars and stellar mergers as a laboratory for dense QCD matter

TL;DR

This paper reviews how neutron star observations and gravitational wave data from stellar mergers help constrain the properties of dense nuclear and quark matter, advancing our understanding of high-density QCD matter.

Contribution

It systematically combines ab initio physics calculations with astrophysical data to constrain the equation of state of dense matter, highlighting recent progress and future prospects.

Findings

GW170817 constrains the neutron star EoS

Gravitational wave data improves understanding of dense matter

Future observations will refine EoS constraints

Abstract

Neutron star observations, including direct mass and radius measurements as well as the analysis of gravitational wave signals emitted by stellar mergers, provide valuable and unique insights into the properties of strongly interacting matter at high densities. In this proceedings contribution, I review recent efforts to systematically constrain the equation of state (EoS) of dense nuclear and quark matter using a combination of ab initio particle and nuclear physics calculations and astrophysical data. In particular, I discuss the constraints that the gravitational wave observation GW170817 has placed on the EoS, and comment on the future prospects of improving the accuracy, to which this quantity is known.