Probing neutron-star matter in the lab: similarities and differences between binary mergers and heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

Binary neutron-star mergers and heavy-ion collisions are related through the properties of the hot and dense nuclear matter formed during these extreme events. In particular, low-energy heavy-ion collisions offer exciting prospects to recreate such {extreme} conditions in the laboratory. However, it remains unexplored to what degree those collisions can actually reproduce hot and dense matter formed in binary neutron star mergers. As a way to understand similarities and differences between these systems, we {discuss their geometry and }perform a direct numerical comparison of the thermodynamic conditions probed in both collisions. To enable a direct comparison, we employ a finite-temperature equation of state able to describe the entire high-energy phase diagram of Quantum Chromodynamics. Putting side by side the evolution of both systems, we find that laboratory heavy-ion collisions at the energy range of $E_{\mathrm{lab}}=0.4-0.6A$ MeV probe (thermodynamic) states of matter that are very similar to those created in binary neutron-star mergers. These results can inform future low-energy heavy-ion collisions probing this regime.

12 pages, 4 figures, accepted version

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• Emergence of microphysical bulk viscosity in binary neutron star post-merger dynamics
• Structure in the speed of sound: from neutron stars to heavy-ion collisions
• Bosonic dark matter dynamics in hybrid neutron stars
• Temperature and Strong Magnetic Field Effects in Dense Matter
• Investigating the role of nuclear parameters on oscillation modes in hot Neutron Stars
• Simultaneous description of high density QCD matter in heavy ion collisions and neutron star observations
• Exploring pathways to forming twin stars
• Effect of Magnetic Fields on Urca Rates in Neutron Star Mergers
• Neutron-quark stars: Discerning viable alternatives for the higher-density part of the equation of state of compact stars
• Dynamics of dilute nuclear matter with light clusters and in-medium effects
• Investigating the Impact of Higher-Order Phase Transitions in Binary Neutron-Star Mergers
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• Alpha clustering in warm and dense nuclear matter from heavy-ion collisions
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• Rotation induced color confinement
• Thermal and Magnetic effects on Bulk Viscosity in Binary Neutron Star Mergers