Impact of lensing of gravitational waves on the observed distribution of neutron star masses

Understand

The distribution of masses of neutron stars, particularly the maximum mass value, is considered a probe of their formation, evolution and internal physics (i.e., equation of state).

• This mass distribution could in principle be inferred from the detection of gravitational waves from binary neutron star mergers.
• Using mock catalogues of $10^5$ dark sirens events, expected to be detected by Einstein Telescope over an operational period of $\sim1\, \rm year$ , we show how the biased luminosity distance measurement induced by gravitational lensing affects the inferred redshift and mass of the merger.
• This results in higher observed masses than expected.