Description:
<jats:p>Using full 3+1 dimensional general-relativistic hydrodynamic
simulations of equal- and unequal-mass neutron-star binaries with
properties that are consistent with those inferred from the inspiral of
GW170817, we perform a detailed study of the quark-formation processes
that could take place after merger. We use three equations of state
consistent with current pulsar observations derived from a novel
finite-temperature framework based on V-QCD, a non-perturbative
gauge/gravity model for Quantum Chromodynamics. In this way, we identify
three different post-merger stages at which mixed baryonic and quark
matter, as well as pure quark matter, are generated. A phase transition
triggered collapse already <jats:inline-formula><jats:alternatives><jats:tex-math>\lesssim 10 ms</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:mo>≲</mml:mo><mml:mn>10</mml:mn><mml:mi>m</mml:mi><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>
after the merger reveals that the softest version of our equations of
state is actually inconsistent with the expected second-long post-merger
lifetime of GW170817. Our results underline the impact that
gravitational wave observations of binary neutron-star mergers can have
in constraining the equation of state of nuclear matter, especially in
its most extreme regimes.</jats:p>