Gravity Seminars

Neutron stars harbor the densest matter in the Universe. Its precise composition and structure are unknown because laboratory experiments cannot reproduce the extreme conditions in neutron star cores. Gravitational waves from neutron star mergers, on the other hand, directly probe the core matter as they carry imprints of tidal interactions that depend on the stars' internal structure. In this talk, I will describe how gravitational-wave observations, complemented by radio and x-ray pulsar measurements, are shedding light on the neutron star interior, revealing hints about nuclear interactions, phase transitions and exotic matter. I will also discuss applications of improved dense matter knowledge towards open questions in astrophysics.