An international research team has for the first time combined data from heavy-ion experiments, gravitational wave measurements and other astronomy to more precisely constrain the properties of nuclear matter as it can be found in the interior of neutron stars. The results were published.
The end of the life of massive stars is marked by the birth of a new type of star called a neutron star. Nuclear stars will eventually collide with each other. Most of the heavy elements, such as silver and gold, are produced by these high-energy phenomena. The properties of matter at densities far beyond the densities inside atomic nucleus are studied by neutron stars. Heavy-ion collision experiments can be used to produce and probe matter at high densities.
There are new insights into the nature of nuclear matter.
The Institute for Nuclear Physics at Technical University Darmstadt believes that combining knowledge from nuclear theory, nuclear experiment, and astrophysical observations is necessary to shed light on the properties of neutron-rich matter. Peter T. H. Pang, one of the lead authors from the Institute for Gravitational and Subatomic Physics (GRASP), said, "We find that constraints from collisions of gold ion with particles show a remarkable consistency with astrophysical observations even though they are obtained with completely different
Recent progress in multi-messenger astronomy allowed the international research team to gain new insights into the fundamental interactions of nuclear matter. The information obtained in heavy-ion collisions was included in a framework of astronomy, astrophysics, and nuclear physics computations. Their systematic study combines all these individual disciplines for the first time.
Heavy-ion collision data was included.
The information from gold-ion collision experiments performed at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fr Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt was incorporated into the multi-step procedure.
Nuclear theorists from Technical University Darmstadt and Los Alamos National Laboratory helped translate the information gained in heavy-ion collisions to Neutron star matter.
The density region where nuclear theory and astrophysical observations are less sensitive has been made more difficult by including data of heavy-ion collisions. This has made it possible to understand dense matter more fully. Nuclear theory and astrophysical observations can be bridged by improved constraints from heavy-ion collision. Experiments that probe higher densities have the potential to provide new constraints on the properties of neutron stars. New information can be included in the framework to further improve the understanding of dense matter.
More information: Sabrina Huth et al, Constraining neutron-star matter with microscopic and macroscopic collisions, Nature (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04750-w Journal information: Nature
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