RUI: Neutron Star Oscillations as Probes of Dense Matter Properties and Phases

RUI：中子星振荡作为稠密物质性质和相的探针

• 批准号: 1913693
• 负责人: Prashanth Jaikumar
• 金额: $ 18万
• 依托单位: California State University-Long Beach Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-08-15 至 2023-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1913693&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Neutron; Star; Oscillations; Probes; RUI; Neutron; Star; Oscillations; Probes

Neutron stars are astrophysical objects that weigh as much as the Sun but are only about as large as a city. Little is known about the state of matter inside neutron stars, yet, the properties of matter in such extremely dense conditions is crucial to understanding the complexities of the strong nuclear force, which determines the sub-structure of neutrons and protons out of which all atoms are made. The recent discovery of gravitational waves from merging neutron stars opens a unique avenue for the study of this dense matter inside neutron stars. This project will quantify the properties of such matter by studying how it impacts the amplitude and frequency of observed gravitational waves. This will be accomplished by using Einstein's general theory of relativity and a judicious selection of models describing the strong nuclear force. The main outcome of this research will be discovering the best lines of scientific evidence for new states of matter from the analysis of gravitational wave data. In addition, the PI will train students on advanced computational methods in the course of this research and share cutting-edge scientific knowledge with high school students via teacher-training workshops.The project addresses the converging domain of nuclear theory, neutron stars and gravitational waves. In this project, the PI will calculate the spectrum of non-radial neutron star oscillations, with particular attention to modes that are most likely to manifest in gravitational wave signals from continuously emitting sources and which can constrain key properties of dense matter such as the symmetry energy. The emphasis is on applying accurate and efficient numerical methods known from quantum scattering theory to the computation of the spectrum of fluid oscillations in full General Relativity, while employing select equations of state (cold or hot conditions) for neutron star matter that satisfy current experimental and astrophysical constraints, including the recent tidal polarizability data. The research will also address relatively unexplored features of dense matter that impact neutron star oscillations, such as superfluidity and phase transitions, by sifting through a database of equation of states for select models that include these aspects. The project will involve several graduate students culminating in their Masters thesis, and the PI will work with experts in science education to communicate current knowledge of topics in astrophysics to local high school teachers involved with implementing next generation science standards (NGSS).This project advances the objectives of "Windows on the Universe: the Era of Multi-Messenger Astrophysics", one of the 10 Big Ideas for Future NSF Investments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

中子恒星是天体物理物体，其重量与阳光一样多，但仅与城市一样大。关于中子星内物质的状态知之甚少，但是，在如此密集的条件下物质的特性对于理解强核力量的复杂性至关重要，这决定了制造所有原子的中子和质子的子结构。最近发现的重力波从合并中子星的发现为研究中子恒星内这种密集物质的研究开辟了独特的途径。该项目将通过研究如何影响观察到的重力波的幅度和频率来量化此问题的性质。这将通过使用爱因斯坦的相对论一般理论以及描述强核力量的模型的明智选择来实现。这项研究的主要结果将是通过重力波数据分析发现新物质的最佳科学证据。此外，PI将在本研究过程中培训学生先进的计算方法，并通过教师培训讲习班与高中生共享尖端的科学知识。该项目涉及核理论，中子星和引力波的融合领域。在该项目中，PI将计算非radial中性星星振荡的光谱，特别注意最有可能从连续发射源出现的重力波信号中，这些模式可以限制密集物质的关键特性，例如对称能量。重点是应用从量子散射理论已知的准确，有效的数值方法，以完全一般相对论中流体振荡频谱的计算，同时采用中性恒星的精选状态方程（冷或热条件），以满足当前的实验性和天体物质约束，包括最近的潮汐极化能力数据。这项研究还将解决相对未开发的密集物质特征，从而影响中子星振荡，例如超流体和相变，通过筛选包含这些方面的选定模型的状态方程数据库。该项目将涉及几名研究生的最终论点，PI将与科学教育专家合作，将当前的天体物理学主题知识传达给与实施下一代科学标准（NGSS）的当地高中教师（NGSS）。 NSF的法定使命，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准来评估值得支持。