Impact of thermal effects on prompt-collapse binary neutron star mergers

TL;DR

This study examines how finite-temperature effects in the nuclear equation of state influence the threshold mass for prompt collapse in binary neutron star mergers, finding minimal impact on the collapse threshold but some effects on ejecta and disk mass.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the threshold mass for prompt collapse is largely insensitive to thermal variations in the EoS, providing new insights into merger outcomes.

Findings

Threshold mass is insensitive to thermal EoS variations at sub-percent accuracy.

Thermal pressure during bounce can reach 1-10% of cold pressure at supranuclear densities.

Modest differences in ejecta and disk mass are observed depending on thermal treatment.

Abstract

The fate of the remnant following the merger of two neutron stars initially on quasicircular orbits depends primarily on the mass of the initial neutron stars, the mass ratio, and the still-uncertain dense-matter equation of state (EoS). Previous works studying the threshold mass for prompt collapse to a black hole have primarily focused on the uncertainties in the zero-temperature EoS, which are parametrized by a macroscopic quantity such as the characteristic neutron star radius. However, prompt collapse can take place either with or without a core bounce during the merger. In the bounce-collapse scenario, shocks can produce additional thermal support, potentially altering the threshold for collapse. In this work, we investigate the impact of the uncertainties in the finite-temperature part of the nuclear EoS on the threshold mass for prompt collapse in equal mass mergers. Using two cold EoSs, combined with four parametrizations of the finite-temperature part of the EoS, we find that the threshold mass is insensitive to realistic variations of the thermal prescription, at sub-percent accuracy. We report on the thermal properties and ejecta of mergers with masses just above the threshold mass, i.e., which experience a single core-bounce before collapsing. During the bounce, the thermal pressure can reach )(1-10)% of the cold pressure at supranuclear densities, depending on the thermal treatment, leading to modest differences in the dynamical ejecta that are launched and in the remnant disk mass as a result.