Using Gravitational-wave Observations and Quasi-universal Relations to Constrain the Maximum Mass of Neutron Stars

Abstract

Combining the GW observations of merging systems of binary neutron stars and quasi-universal relations, we set constraints on the maximum mass that can be attained by nonrotating stellar models of neutron stars. More specifically, exploiting the recent observation of the GW event GW170817 and drawing from basic arguments on kilonova modeling of GRB 170817A together with the quasi-universal relation between the maximum mass of nonrotating stellar models M_(TOV) and the maximum mass supported through uniform rotation M_(max) = (1.20_(-0.05)^(+0.02)) M_(TOV), we set limits for the maximum mass to be 2.01_(-0.04)^(+0.04) ⩽ M(TOV)/M_⊙ ≾ 2.16_(-0.15)^(+0.17), where the lower limit in this range comes from pulsar observations. Our estimate, which follows a very simple line of arguments and does not rely on the modeling of the electromagnetic signal in terms of numerical simulations, can be further refined as new detections become available. We briefly discuss the impact that our conclusions have on the equation of state of nuclear matter.

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