Seminar: Precision nuclear physics with gravitational wave detectors

Dr. Andrew Melatos 

University of Melbourne

Terrestrial particle accelerators teach us about the behaviour of the strong nuclear force at high energies (TeV and upwards) and low densities (few-body collisions). They leave unexplored the rich and fascinating world of collective nuclear phenomena, hints of which emerge in high-precision studies of terrestrial nuclei, and which include the postulated existence of unusual new states of superfluid and superconducting matter. The only place where such states of matter can be studied reliably is in neutron stars, the compact stellar corpses left behind after a supernova explosion, which comprise condensed nucleons at a density 10^15 times greater than water and low-ish (MeV) energy, in super-strong magnetic fields up to 10^15G. In this talk, I describe how gravitational wave observations with the new generation of detectors like Advanced LIGO (now being installed) have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the quantum mechanics of condensed nuclear matter. Gravitational waves are immune to scattering and absorption; they allow us to peer into the heart of compact objects like neutron stars. Specific examples will be given of how gravitational wave data, combined with electromagnetic signals from radio and X-ray telescopes and first-principles theoretical calculations, can constrain key properties like the compressibility, viscosity, and electrical resistivity of nuclear matter, even with existing non-detections. Upcoming scientific opportunities in this exciting new field of multi-messenger astronomy will be outlined.