Astronomers propose using gravitational waves (GWs) emitted by merging neutron stars to investigate the extreme conditions within these objects. The post-merger signal, known as the 'long ringdown,' exhibits unique characteristics linked to the properties of the densest regions in neutron star cores.
When massive stars reach the end of their life cycle, they undergo gravitational collapse and shed their outer layers in a massive explosion . Whereas particularly massive stars will leave a black hole in their wake, others leave behind a stellar remnant known as a neutron star . These objects concentrate a mass greater than the entire Solar System into a volume measuring just 20 km in diameter. Meanwhile, the extreme conditions inside neutron stars are still a mystery to astronomers.
, gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime caused by the merger of massive objects . While the most intense GWs are produced from mergers, BNS emit GWs for millions of years as they spiral inward toward each other. The post-merger remnant also emits GWs in a strong but narrow frequency range. This last signal, the team argues, could hold crucial information about how nuclear matter behaves at extreme densities and pressures where it increasingly trends toward a single frequency.
By analyzing the long ringdown phase, they argue, astronomers can significantly reduce uncertainties in the equation of state for neutron stars. “By cleverly selecting a few equations of state, we were able to effectively simulate the results of a full statistical ensemble of matter models with considerably less effort,” said co-author Dr. Tyler Gorda.
NEUTRON STARS GRAVITATIONAL WAVES NUCLEAR MATTER ASTROPHYSICS COSMOLOGY
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