Connecting GRBs from Binary Neutron Star Mergers to Nuclear Properties of Neutron Stars

Rosalba Perna, Ore Gottlieb, Estuti Shukla, David Radice.

10 Dec 2024.

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Abstract

The fate of the binary neutron star (NS) merger remnants hinges sensitively upon the NS equation of state and the threshold mass, $M_{\rm ls}$ , that separates a long-lived from a short-lived NS remnant. The nature of the electromagnetic counterparts is also influenced by the remnant type, particularly in determining whether a gamma-ray burst from a compact binary merger (cbGRB) is of short or long duration. We propose a novel approach to probe $M_{\rm ls}$ by linking it to the estimated observed ratio of long to short cbGRBs. We find that current observations broadly favour a relatively high value for this transition, $M_{\rm ls}\simeq 1.3 M_{\rm TOV}$ , for which $M_{\rm TOV} \lesssim 2.6\,M_\odot$ , consistent with numerical simulations, as also shown here. Our results disfavour nuclear physics scenarios that would lead to catastrophic pressure loss at a few times nuclear density and temperatures of tens of MeV, leading to a rapid gravitational collapse of binaries with total mass $M \lesssim 1.3 M_{\rm TOV}$ . Future individual gravitational wave events with on-axis cbGRBs can further bound $M_{\rm ls}$ .

Topics

Astrophysical Simulations

Associated Faculty

David Radice

Senior Investigator

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