Gravitational-Wave Asteroseismology: Illuminating Dense Nuclear Matter through Dynamical Tides featuring Fabian Gittins (Utrecht University)

Hosted by: Praveer Tiwari (CMI, India)

Abstract: Neutron stars present the tantalising opportunity to examine physics in a range of extreme regimes, including ultra-dense nuclear matter. Gravitational radiation from inspiralling compact binaries carries information about the deformability of the stellar material. However, the focus has primarily been on the static tide. Much like the Moon sources waves in Earth's oceans, neutron-star binaries experience dynamical tides, where the orbital motion drives vibrational modes within the star. These modes are sensitive seismological probes of the stellar interior and have already transformed our understanding of main-sequence and giant stars. In this talk, I will review our current level of understanding of neutron-star binaries. I will show how the tidal dynamics provoke oscillation modes and the rich physics they encode. In light of imminent improvements to gravitational-wave instrument technologies, I will discuss prospects for detectability.

Personal Website: https://fgittins.github.io/