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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Neutron stars are astrophysical objects of extremes. They contain the largest reservoirs of degenerate fermions, reaching the highestdensities we can observe in the cosmos, and probe matter under conditions that cannot be recreated in terrestrial experiments. In August 2017, the first neutron-star merger has been observed, whichprovided compelling evidence that these events are an important site for the production of all elements heavier than iron in the universe.Furthermore, the gravitational-wave signal of such events might shed light upon the nature of strongly interacting matter in the core ofneutron stars.
To understand these remarkable events, reliable nuclear physics input is essential. In this talk, I will explain how to use Chiral effectivefield theory and advanced Quantum Monte Carlo many-body methods to provide a consistent and systematic approach to strongly interactingsystems from nuclei to neutron stars and allow precision studies with controlled theoretical uncertainties. I will present recent resultsrelevant for the nuclear astrophysics of neutron-star mergers, and will discuss what we can learn from such events.
Host: David Métivier