Binary Neutron Star Merger Remnants Research Articles

Incidence of afterglow plateaus in gamma-ray bursts associated with binary neutron star mergers

One of the most surprising gamma-ray burst (GRB) features discovered with the Swift X-ray telescope (XRT) is a plateau phase in the early X-ray afterglow light curves. These plateaus are observed in the majority of long GRBs, while their incidence in short GRBs (SGRBs) is still uncertain due to their fainter X-ray afterglow luminosity with respect to long GRBs. An accurate estimate of the fraction of SGRBs with plateaus is of utmost relevance given the implications that the plateau may have for our understanding of the jet structure and possibly of the nature of the binary neutron star (BNS) merger remnant. This work presents the results of an extensive data analysis of the largest and most up-to-date sample of SGRBs observed with the XRT, and for which the redshift has been measured. We find a plateau incidence of 18-37<!PCT!> in SGRBs, which is a significantly lower fraction than that measured in long GRBs (>50<!PCT!>). Although still debated, the plateau phase could be explained as energy injection from the spin-down power of a newly born magnetized neutron star (NS; magnetar). We show that this scenario can nicely reproduce the observed short GRB (SGRBs) plateaus, while at the same time providing a natural explanation for the different plateau fractions between short and long GRBs. In particular, our findings may imply that only a minority of BNS mergers generating SGRBs leave behind a sufficiently stable or long-lived NS to form a plateau. From the probability distribution of the BNS remnant mass, a fraction 18-37<!PCT!> of short GRB plateaus implies a maximum NS mass in the range $ odot

Jetlike structures in low-mass binary neutron star merger remnants

Jetlike structures in low-mass binary neutron star merger remnants

Neutrino Trapping and Out-of-Equilibrium Effects in Binary Neutron-Star Merger Remnants

Neutrino Trapping and Out-of-Equilibrium Effects in Binary Neutron-Star Merger Remnants

Symmetry breaking due to multi-angle matter-neutrino resonance in neutron star merger remnants

Neutron star merger remnants are unique sites for exploring neutrino flavor conversion in dense media. Because of the natural excess of ν̅e over νe , the neutrino-neutrino potential can cancel the matter potential, giving rise to matter-neutrino resonant flavor conversion. Under the assumption of two (anti)neutrino flavors and spatial homogeneity, we solve the neutrino quantum kinetic equations to investigate the occurrence of the matter-neutrino resonance within a multi-angle framework. We find that isotropy is broken spontaneously, regardless of the mass ordering. Relying on a hydrodynamical simulation of a binary neutron star merger remnant with a black hole of 3 M ⊙ and an accretion torus of 0.3 M ⊙, we find that complete flavor conversion caused by the matter-neutrino resonance is unlikely, although the matter and neutrino potentials cancel at various locations above the disk. Importantly, the matter-neutrino resonant flavor conversion crucially depends on the shape of the neutrino angular distributions. Our findings suggest that an accurate modeling of the neutrino angular distributions is necessary to understand flavor conversion physics in merger remnants, its implications on the disk physics and synthesis of the elements heavier than iron.

Thermal behavior as indicator for hyperons in binary neutron star merger remnants

Thermal behavior as indicator for hyperons in binary neutron star merger remnants

Local magneto-shear instability in Newtonian gravity

ABSTRACT The magneto-rotational instability (MRI), which is due to an interplay between a sheared background and the magnetic field, is commonly considered a key ingredient for developing and sustaining turbulence in the outer envelope of binary neutron star merger remnants. To assess whether (or not) the instability is active and resolved, criteria originally derived in the accretion disc literature, thus exploiting the symmetries of such systems, are often used. In this paper, we discuss the magneto-shear instability as a truly local phenomenon, relaxing common symmetry assumptions on the background on top of which the instability grows. This makes the discussion well suited for highly dynamical environments such as binary mergers. We find that, although this is somewhat hidden in the usual derivation of the MRI dispersion relation, the instability crucially depends on the assumed symmetries. Relaxing the symmetry assumptions in the background, we find that the role of the magnetic field is significantly diminished, as it affects the modes’ growth but does not drive it. We conclude by making contact with a suitable filtering operation, as this is key to separating background and fluctuations in highly dynamical systems.

Binary boson stars: Merger dynamics and formation of rotating remnant stars

Scalar boson stars have attracted attention as simple models for exploring the nonlinear dynamics of a large class of ultra compact and black hole mimicking objects. Here, we study the impact of interactions in the scalar matter making up these stars. In particular, we show the pivotal role the scalar phase and vortex structure play during the late inspiral, merger, and post-merger oscillations of a binary boson star, as well as their impact on the properties of the merger remnant. To that end, we construct constraint satisfying binary boson star initial data and numerically evolve the nonlinear set of Einstein-Klein-Gordon equations. We demonstrate that the scalar interactions can significantly affect the inspiral gravitational wave amplitude and phase, and the length of a potential hypermassive phase shortly after merger. If a black hole is formed after merger, we find its spin angular momentum to be consistent with similar binary black hole and binary neutron star merger remnants. Furthermore, we formulate a mapping that approximately predicts the remnant properties of any given binary boson star merger. Guided by this mapping, we use numerical evolutions to explicitly demonstrate, for the first time, that rotating boson stars can form as remnants from the merger of two non-spinning boson stars. We characterize this new formation mechanism and discuss its robustness. Finally, we comment on the implications for rotating Proca stars.

Gamma-Ray Diagnostics of r-process Nucleosynthesis in the Remnants of Galactic Binary Neutron-star Mergers

We perform a full nuclear-network numerical calculation of the r-process nuclei in binary neutron-star mergers (NSMs), with the aim of estimating gamma-ray emissions from the remnants of Galactic NSMs up to 106 yr old. The nucleosynthesis calculation of 4070 nuclei is adopted to provide the elemental composition ratios of nuclei with an electron fraction Y e between 0.10 and 0.45. The decay processes of 3237 unstable nuclei are simulated to extract the gamma-ray spectra. As a result, the NSMs have different spectral colors in the gamma-ray band from various other astronomical objects at less than 105 yr old. In addition, we propose a new line diagnostic method for Y e that uses the line ratios of either 137mBa/85K or 243Am/60mCo, which become larger than unity for young and old r-process sites, respectively, with a low-Y e environment. From an estimation of the distance limit for gamma-ray observations as a function of age, the high sensitivity in the sub-megaelectronvolt band, at approximately 10−9 photons s−1 cm−2 or 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2, is required to cover all the NSM remnants in our Galaxy, if we assume that the population of NSMs by Wu et al. A gamma-ray survey with sensitivities of 10−8–10−7 photons s−1 cm−2 or 10−14–10−13 erg s−1 cm−2 in the 70–4000 keV band is expected to find emissions from at least one NSM remnant under the assumption of an NSM rate of 30 Myr−1. The feasibility of gamma-ray missions observing Galactic NSMs is also studied.

Models of binary neutron star remnants with tabulated equations of state

ABSTRACT The emergence of novel differential rotation laws that can reproduce the rotational profile of binary neutron star merger remnants has opened the way for the construction of equilibrium models with properties that resemble those of remnants in numerical simulations. We construct models of merger remnants, using a recently introduced 4-parameter differential rotation law and three tabulated, zero-temperature equations of state. The models have angular momenta that are determined by empirical relations, constructed through numerical simulations. After a systematic exploration of the parameter space of merger remnant equilibrium sequences, which includes the determination of turning points along constant angular momentum sequences, we find that a particular rotation law can reproduce the threshold mass to prompt collapse to a black hole with a relative difference of only $\sim 1{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ with respect to numerical simulations, in all cases considered. Furthermore, our results indicate a possible correlation between the compactness of equilibrium models of remnants at the threshold mass and the compactness of maximum-mass non-rotating models. Another key prediction of binary neutron star merger simulations is a relatively slowly rotating inner region, where the angular velocity Ω (as measured by an observer at infinity) is mostly due to the frame dragging angular velocity ω. In our investigation of the parameter space of the adopted differential rotation law, we naturally find quasi-spherical (Type A) remnant models with this property. Our investigation clarifies the impact of the differential rotation law and of the equation of state on key properties of binary neutron star remnants and lays the groundwork for including thermal effects in future studies.

Neutron Stars and Gravitational Waves: The Key Role of Nuclear Equation of State

Neutron stars are the densest known objects in the universe and an ideal laboratory for the strange physics of super-condensed matter. Theoretical studies in connection with recent observational data of isolated neutron stars, as well as binary neutron stars systems, offer an excellent opportunity to provide robust solutions on the dense nuclear problem. In the present work, we review recent studies concerning the applications of various theoretical nuclear models on a few recent observations of binary neutron stars or neutron-star–black-hole systems. In particular, using a simple and well-established model, we parametrize the stiffness of the equation of state with the help of the speed of sound. Moreover, in comparison to the recent observations of two events by LIGO/VIRGO collaboration, GW170817 and GW190425, we suggest possible robust constraints. We also concentrate our theoretical study on the resent observation of a compact object with mass ∼2.59−0.09+0.08M⊙ (GW190814 event), as a component of a system where the main companion was a black hole with mass ∼23M⊙. There is scientific debate concerning the identification of the low mass component, as it falls into the neutron-star–black-hole mass gap. This is an important issue since understanding the nature of GW190814 event will offer rich information concerning the upper limit of the speed of sound in dense matter and the possible phase transition into other degrees of freedom. We systematically study the tidal deformability of a possible high-mass candidate existing as an individual star or as a component in a binary neutron star system. Finally, we provide some applications of equations of state of hot, dense nuclear matter in hot neutron stars (nonrotating and rapidly rotating with the Kepler frequency neutron stars), protoneutron stars, and binary neutron star merger remnants.

Short gamma-ray burst jet propagation in binary neutron star merger environments

ABSTRACT The multimessenger event GW170817/GRB 170817A confirmed that binary neutron star (BNS) mergers can produce short gamma-ray burst (SGRB) jets. This evidence promoted new investigations on the mechanisms through which a BNS merger remnant can launch such a powerful relativistic outflow and on the propagation of the latter across the surrounding post-merger environment. In particular, great strides have been made in jet propagation models, establishing connections between the initial jet launching conditions, including the incipient jet launching time (with respect to merger) and the injection parameters, and the observable SGRB prompt and afterglow emission. However, present semi-analytical models and numerical simulations (with one notable exception) adopt simple handmade prescriptions to account for the post-merger environment, lacking a direct association with any specific merging BNS system. Here, we present the first three-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamics simulations of incipient SGRB jets propagating through a post-merger environment that is directly imported from the outcome of a previous general relativistic BNS merger simulation. Our results show that the evolution and final properties of the jet can be largely affected by the anisotropies and the deviations from axisymmetry and homologous expansion characterizing more realistic BNS merger environments. In addition, we find that the inclusion of the gravitational pull from the central compact object, often overlooked, can have a major impact. Finally, we consider different jet launching times referred to the same BNS merger model and discuss the consequences for the ultimate jet properties.

Axisymmetric models for neutron star merger remnants with realistic thermal and rotational profiles

Merging neutron stars are expected to produce hot, metastable remnants in rapid differential rotation, which subsequently cool and evolve into rigidly rotating neutron stars or collapse to black holes. Studying this metastable phase and its further evolution is essential for the prediction and interpretation of the electromagnetic, neutrino, and gravitational signals from such a merger. In this work, we model binary neutron star merger remnants and propose new rotation and thermal laws that describe post-merger remnants. Our framework is capable to reproduce quasi-equilibrium configurations for generic equations of state, rotation and temperature profiles, including nonbarotropic ones. We demonstrate that our results are in agreement with numerical relativity simulations concerning bulk remnant properties like the mass, angular momentum, and the formation of a massive accretion disk. Because of the low computational cost for our axisymmetric code compared to full 3+1-dimensional simulations, we can perform an extensive exploration of the binary neutron star remnant parameter space studying several hundred thousand configurations for different equation of states.

Equilibrium sequences of differentially rotating stars with post-merger-like rotational profiles

ABSTRACT We present equilibrium sequences of rotating relativistic stars, constructed with a new rotation law that was proposed by Uryū et al. (2017). We choose rotational parameters motivated by simulations of binary neutron star merger remnants, but otherwise adopt a cold, relativistic N = 1 polytropic EOS, in order to perform a detailed comparison to published equilibrium sequences that used the Komatsu, Eriguchi and Hachisu (1989) rotation law. We find a small influence of the choice of rotation law on the mass of the equilibrium models and a somewhat larger influence on their radius. The versatility of the new rotation law allows us to construct models that have a similar rotational profile and axial ratio as observed for merger remnants, while at the same time being quasi-spherical. More specifically, we construct equilibrium sequence variations with different degrees of differential rotation and identify type A and type C solutions, similar to the corresponding types in the classification of Ansorg, Gondek-Rosińska and Villain (2009). While our models are highly accurate solutions of the fully general relativistic structure equations, we demonstrate that for models relevant to merger remnants the IWM-CFC approximation still maintains an acceptable accuracy.

Shedding light on the angular momentum evolution of binary neutron star merger remnants: A semi-analytic model

The main features of the gravitational dynamics of binary neutron star systems are now well established. While the inspiral can be precisely described in the post-Newtonian approximation, fully relativistic magneto-hydrodynamical simulations are required to model the evolution of the merger and post-merger phase. However, the interpretation of the numerical results can often be non-trivial, so that toy models become a very powerful tool. Not only do they simplify the interpretation of the post-merger dynamics, but also allow to gain insights into the physics behind it. In this work, we construct a simple toy model that is capable of reproducing the whole angular momentum evolution of the post-merger remnant, from the merger to the collapse. We validate the model against several fully general-relativistic numerical simulations employing a genetic algorithm, and against additional constraints derived from the spectral properties of the gravitational radiation. As a result, from the remarkably close overlap between the model predictions and the reference simulations within the first milliseconds after the merger, we are able to systematically shed light on the currently open debate regarding the source of the low-frequency peaks of the gravitational wave power spectral density. Additionally, we also present two original relations connecting the angular momentum of the post-merger remnant at merger and collapse to initial properties of the system.

Multi-dimensional solution of fast neutrino conversions in binary neutron star merger remnants

Fast pairwise conversions of neutrinos are predicted to be ubiquitous in neutron star merger remnants with potentially major implications on the nucleosynthesis of the elements heavier than iron. We present the first sophisticated numerical solution of the neutrino flavor evolution above the remnant disk within a (2+1+1) dimensional setup: two spatial coordinates, one angular variable, and time. We look for a steady-state flavor configuration above the remnant disk. Albeit the linear stability analysis predicts flavor instabilities at any location above the remnant disk, our simulations in the non-linear regime show that fast pairwise conversions lead to minimal neutrino mixing (<1%); flavor equilibration is never achieved in our models. Importantly, fast neutrino conversions are more prominent within localized regions near the edges of the (anti)neutrino decoupling surfaces and almost negligible in the polar region of the remnant. Our findings on the role of fast pairwise conversions should be interpreted with caution because of the approximations intrinsic to our setup and advocate for further work within a more realistic framework.

A Magnetar Engine for Short GRBs and Kilonovae

Abstract We investigate the influence of magnetic fields on the evolution of binary neutron star (BNS) merger remnants via three-dimensional (3D) dynamical-spacetime general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. We evolve a post-merger remnant with an initial poloidal magnetic field, resolve the magnetoturbulence driven by shear flows, and include a microphysical finite-temperature equation of state. A neutrino leakage scheme that captures the overall energetics and lepton number exchange is also included. We find that turbulence induced by the magnetorotational instability in the hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) amplifies magnetic field to beyond magnetar strength (1015 G). The ultra-strong toroidal field is able to launch a relativistic jet from the HMNS. We also find a magnetized wind that ejects neutron-rich material with a rate of . The total ejecta mass in our simulation is 5 × 10−3 M ⊙. This makes the ejecta from the HMNS an important component in BNS mergers and a promising source of r-process elements that can power a kilonova. The jet from the HMNS reaches a terminal Lorentz factor of ∼5 in our highest-resolution simulation. The formation of this jet is aided by neutrino cooling preventing the accretion disk from protruding into the polar region. As neutrino pair-annihilation and radiative processes in the jet (which were not included in the simulations) will boost the Lorentz factor in the jet further, our simulations demonstrate that magnetars formed in BNS mergers are a viable engine for short gamma-ray bursts.

Merger-inspired rotation laws and the low-T/W instability in neutron stars

ABSTRACTImplementing a family of differential rotation laws inspired by binary neutron-star merger remnants, we consider the impact of the rotation profile on the low-T/W instability. We use time evolutions of the linearized dynamical equations, in Newtonian gravity, to study non-axisymmetric oscillations and identify the unstable modes. The presence and evolution of the low-T/W instability is monitored with the canonical energy and angular momentum, while the growth time is extracted from the evolved kinetic energy. The results for the new rotation laws highlight similarities with the commonly considered j-constant law. The instability sets in when an oscillation mode corotates with the star (i.e. whenever there is a point at which the mode’s pattern speed matches the bulk angular velocity) and grows faster deep inside the co-rotation region. However, the new profiles add features, like an additional co-rotation point, to the problem, and these affect the onset of instability. The rotation laws have the most drastic influence on the oscillation frequencies of the l = m = 2 f mode in fast-rotating models, but affect the instability growth time at some level for any rotation rate. We also identify models where the low-T/W instability appears to be triggered by inertial modes. We discuss to what extent the inferred qualitative behaviour is likely to be of observational relevance.

Magnetically Driven Baryon Winds from Binary Neutron Star Merger Remnants and the Blue Kilonova of 2017 August

Abstract The observation of a radioactively powered kilonova associated with the first binary neutron star (BNS) merger detected in gravitational waves proved that these events are ideal sites for the production of heavy r-process elements. However, the physical origin of the ejected material responsible for the early (“blue”) and late (“red”) components of this kilonova is still debated. Here, we investigate the possibility that the early/blue kilonova originated from the magnetically driven baryon wind launched after merger by the metastable neutron star remnant. Exploiting a magnetized BNS merger simulation with over 250 ms of post-merger evolution, we can follow for the first time the full mass-ejection process up to its final decline. We find that the baryon wind carries ≃0.010–0.028 M ⊙ of unbound material, proving that the high mass estimated for the blue kilonova can be achieved. We also find expansion velocities of up to ∼0.2c, consistent with the lower end of the observational estimates, and we discuss possible effects neglected here that could further increase the final ejecta velocity. Overall, our results show that the magnetically driven baryon wind represents a viable channel to explain the blue kilonova.

Detection and parameter estimation of binary neutron star merger remnants

Detection and parameter estimation of binary neutron star merger remnants can shed light on the physics of hot matter at supranuclear densities. Here we develop a fast, simple model that can generate gravitational waveforms, and show it can be used for both detection and parameter estimation of post-merger remnants. The model consists of three exponentially-damped sinusoids with a linear frequency-drift term. The median fitting factors between the model waveforms and numerical-relativity simulations exceed 0.90. We detect remnants at a post-merger signal-to-noise ratio of $\ge 7$ using a Bayes-factor detection statistic with a threshold of 3000. We can constrain the primary post-merger frequency to $\pm_{1.2}^{1.4}\%$ at post-merger signal-to-noise ratios of 15 with an increase in precision to $\pm_{0.2}^{0.3}\%$ for post-merger signal-to-noise ratios of 50. The tidal coupling constant can be constrained to $\pm^{9}_{12}\%$ at post-merger signal-to-noise ratios of 15, and $\pm 5\%$ at post-merger signal-to-noise ratios of 50 using a hierarchical inference model.

The lifetime of binary neutron star merger remnants

Although the main features of the evolution of binary neutron star systems are now well established, many details are still subject to debate, especially regarding the post-merger phase. In particular, the lifetime of the hyper-massive neutron stars formed after the merger is very hard to predict. In this work, we provide a simple analytic relation for the lifetime of the merger remnant as function of the initial mass of the neutron stars. This relation results from a joint fit of data from observational evidence and from various numerical simulations. In this way, a large range of collapse times, physical effects and equation of states is covered. Finally, we apply the relation to the gravitational wave event GW170817 to constrain the equation of state of dense matter.