Bulk Viscosity in Dense Nuclear Matter

Other · Mon May 06 04:00:00 EDT 2024 · Nuclear Theory in the Age of Multimessenger Astronomy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003306580-8· OSTI ID:2529473

Harris, Steven P. ^[1]

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1. University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); University of Washington

NEUTRON star mergers are an extreme environment where, within milliseconds, the cold, dense matter in neutron stars is dramatically heated to some of the hottest temperatures encountered in astrophysics. Matter in neutron star mergers is located solidly in the interior of the QCD phase diagram, and therefore, the observation and simulation of these mergers provides an opportunity to learn about the strong interaction at a set of densities and temperatures that compliment those obtained in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Matter during the merger of two neutron stars is far from hydrostatic equilibrium, allowing for the study of not only the equation of state of dense matter, but of transport properties as well. Perhaps the most likely transport property to play a role in neutron star mergers is the bulk viscosity, which acts to resist changes in density. Furthermore, the bulk viscosity of matter at high densities has long been anticipated to damp oscillations in isolated neutron stars, and the study of its role in neutron star mergers is just beginning.

• Research Organization: University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-00ER41132
• OSTI ID: 2529473
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English