The g-mode spectrum of reactive neutron star cores

Understand

We discuss the impact of nuclear reactions on the spectrum of gravity g-modes of a mature neutron star, demonstrating the anticipated disappearance of these modes when the timescale associated with the oscillations is longer than that of nuclear reactions.

• This is the expected result, but different aspects of the demonstration may be relevant for related problems in neutron star astrophysics.
• In particular, we develop the framework required for an explicit implementation of finite-time nuclear reactions in neutron star oscillation problems and demonstrate how this formulation connects with the usual bulk viscosity prescription.
• We also discuss implications of the absence of very high order g-modes for problems of astrophysical relevance.