The Accuracy of Neutron Star Radius Measurement with the Next Generation of Terrestrial Gravitational-Wave Observatories

TL;DR

This study assesses how next-generation gravitational-wave observatories can significantly improve neutron star mass and radius measurements, enabling precise constraints on the dense matter equation-of-state through multiple detections.

Contribution

It provides detailed projections of measurement accuracies for neutron star properties using current and future gravitational-wave detector networks, highlighting the impact of next-generation observatories.

Findings

Single-event radius measurement within 500m with current detectors.

Network of three XG observatories can measure radius to within 30m for certain EOS.

Masses can be measured to within 0.5% accuracy with three XG observatories.

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the prospect for improving the measurement accuracy of masses and radii of neutron stars. We consider imminent and long-term upgrades of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo, as well as next-generation observatories -- the Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope. We find that neutron star radius with single events will be constrained to within roughly 500m with the current generation of detectors and their upgrades. This will improve to 200m, 100m and 50m with a network of observatories that contain one, two or three next-generation observatories, respectively. Combining events in bins of 0.05 solar masses we find that for stiffer (softer) equations-of-state like ALF2 (APR4), a network of three XG observatories will determine the radius to within 30m (100m) over the entire mass range of neutron stars from 1 to 2.0 solar masses (2.2 solar masses), allowed by the respective equations-of-state. Neutron star masses will be measured to within 0.5 percent with three XG observatories irrespective of the actual equation-of-state. Measurement accuracies will be a factor of 4 or 2 worse if the network contains only one or two XG observatories, respectively, and a factor of 10 worse in the case of networks consisting of Advanced LIGO, Virgo KAGRA and their upgrades. Tens to hundreds of high-fidelity events detected by future observatories will allow us to accurately measure the mass-radius curve and hence determine the dense matter equation-of-state to exquisite precision.