Probing neutron star matter with gravitational waves

Phil Landry (CITA)

November 08, 2021

–

Abstract: Neutron stars harbor the densest matter in the Universe. Its precise composition and structure are unknown because laboratory experiments cannot reproduce the extreme conditions in neutron star cores. Gravitational waves from neutron star mergers, on the other hand, directly probe the core matter because they carry imprints of tidal interactions that depend on the stars’ internal structure. In this talk, I will describe how gravitational-wave observations, together with radio and x-ray pulsar measurements, are shedding light on the neutron star interior, potentially revealing hints about many-body nuclear interactions, strong phase transitions and exotic matter.