Detecting the impact of nuclear reactions on neutron star mergers through gravitational waves

Understand

Nuclear reactions may affect gravitational-wave signals from neutron-star mergers, but the impact is uncertain.

• In order to quantify the effect, we compare two numerical simulations representing intuitive extremes.
• In one case reactions happen instantaneously.
• In the other case, they occur on timescales much slower than the evolutionary timescale.