Constraining nuclear equations of state using gravitational waves from hypermassive neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper uses simulations of binary neutron star mergers to show that gravitational wave signals from hypermassive neutron stars can help constrain the nuclear equations of state, despite high frequencies.

Contribution

It demonstrates that gravitational waves from hypermassive neutron stars formed after mergers can be used to constrain neutron star equations of state.

Findings

Gravitational wave amplitude is detectable at 50 Mpc.

The frequency of gravitational waves is around 3 kHz.

Detection can provide constraints on neutron star EOSs.

Abstract

Latest general relativistic simulations for merger of binary neutron stars with realistic equations of state (EOSs) show that a hypermassive neutron star of an ellipsoidal figure is formed after the merger if the total mass is smaller than a threshold value which depends on the EOSs. The effective amplitude of quasiperiodic gravitational waves from such hypermassive neutron stars is $\sim 6$--$7 \times 10^{-21}$ at a distance of 50 Mpc, which may be large enough for detection by advanced laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors although the frequency is high $\sim 3$ kHz. We point out that the detection of such signal may lead to constraining the EOSs for neutron stars.