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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Convective Excitation of Inertial Modes in Binary Neutron Star Mergers
Roberto De PietriNikolaos StergioulasJosé A. FontFrank LöfflerFrank LöfflerAlessandra FeoMichele PasqualiFrancesco Maionesubject
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)PhysicsInertial frame of reference010308 nuclear & particles physicsGravitational waveGeneral relativityAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaStar (game theory)FOS: Physical sciencesGeneral Physics and AstronomyObservableGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic AstrophysicsAstrophysicsPolytropic process01 natural sciencesGeneral Relativity and Quantum CosmologyNeutron starConvective instability0103 physical sciencesAstrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena010306 general physicsAstrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysicsdescription
We present the first very long-term simulations (extending up to ~140 ms after merger) of binary neutron star mergers with piecewise polytropic equations of state and in full general relativity. Our simulations reveal that at a time of 30-50 ms after merger, parts of the star become convectively unstable, which triggers the excitation of inertial modes. The excited inertial modes are sustained up to several tens of milliseconds and are potentially observable by the planned third-generation gravitational-wave detectors at frequencies of a few kilohertz. Since inertial modes depend on the rotation rate of the star and they are triggered by a convective instability in the postmerger remnant, their detection in gravitational waves will provide a unique opportunity to probe the rotational and thermal state of the merger remnant. In addition, our findings have implications for the long-term evolution and stability of binary neutron star remnants
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-09 | Physical Review Letters |