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Disentangling Coalescing Neutron-Star-White-Dwarf Binaries for LISA
1Argelander Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hügel 71, D-53121 Bonn, Germany, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Physical Review Letters
|October 13, 2018
Summary
Gravitational wave (GW) observatories like LISA can identify white dwarf (WD) and neutron star (NS) binaries. Numerical models show GW chirp detection can precisely determine NS mass and constrain its equation of state.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics and Astronomy
- Gravitational Wave Astronomy
- Stellar Evolution
Background:
- Galactic tight binaries of white dwarfs (WDs) and neutron stars (NSs) are prime targets for space-borne gravitational wave (GW) observatories.
- These systems are expected to coalesce and undergo mass transfer, emitting both X-rays and GWs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore detailed numerical stellar models for the formation and evolution of WD-NS binary systems.
- To analyze mass transfer from WDs to NS accretors, including finite-temperature effects.
- To demonstrate the capability of GW detection for precise mass determination and equation of state constraints of neutron stars.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of coherent numerical stellar models.
- Computation of evolutionary tracks of characteristic strain amplitude for binary systems.
- Analysis of the GW frequency-dynamical chirp mass parameter space for system identification.
Main Results:
- The unique evolutionary patterns in the GW frequency-dynamical chirp mass space allow for firm identification of binary system types.
- Precise detection of the GW chirp enables determination of neutron star mass with a few percent accuracy.
- This method has applications in constraining the equation of state for neutron stars, especially for dual-line GW sources.
Conclusions:
- Numerical stellar models provide crucial insights into the evolution of WD-NS binaries and their GW emission.
- Gravitational wave observations, particularly the chirp signal, offer a powerful tool for astrophysical parameter estimation.
- Accurate neutron star mass measurements from GWs will significantly advance our understanding of dense matter physics.
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