Magnetized Neutron Star Mergers and Gravitational Wave Signals

Understand

We investigate the influence of magnetic fields upon the dynamics of and resulting gravitational waves from a binary neutron star merger in full general relativity coupled to ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD).

• We consider two merger scenarios, one where the stars begin with initially aligned poloidal magnetic fields and one with no magnetic field.
• Both mergers result in a strongly differentially rotating object.
• In comparison to the non-magnetized scenario, the aligned magnetic fields delay the final merger of the two stars.