Probe and Prejudice: Classification of compact objects and model comparison using EOS knowledge

Understand

Nuclear theory and experiments, alongside astrophysical observations, constrain the equation of state (EOS) of supranuclear-dense matter.

• Conversely, knowledge of the EOS allows an improved interpretation of nuclear or astrophysical data.
• In this article, we use several established constraints on the EOS and the new NICER measurement of PSR J0437-4715 to comment on the nature of the primary companion in GW230529 and the companion of PSR J0514-4002E.
• We find that, with a probability of $\gtrsim 84\%$ and $\gtrsim 68\%$, respectively, both objects are black holes.