General-relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations of binary neutron star mergers: The influence of spin on the multimessenger picture
Abstract
The rich phenomenology of binary neutron star mergers offers a unique opportunity to test general relativity, investigate matter at supranuclear densities, and learn more about the origin of heavy elements. As multimessenger sources, they emit both gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation across several frequency bands. The interpretation of these signals relies heavily on accurate numerical-relativity simulations that incorporate the relevant microphysical processes. Using the latest updates of the code, we perform general-relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of binary neutron star mergers with two different spin configurations. We adopt a state-of-the-art equation of state based on relativistic mean-field theory developed for dense matter in neutron star mergers. To capture both dynamical ejecta and secular outflows from magnetic and neutrino-driven winds, we evolve the systems up to ∼ 100 ms after the merger with a resolution of 93 m across the neutron stars. Our results show that the nonspinning configuration undergoes a more violent merger, producing more ejecta with lower electron fraction and higher velocities, while the spinning configuration forms a larger disk due to its higher angular momentum. Although the initial magnetic field amplification within ≲ 10 ms after merger is similar in both systems, the nonspinning system reaches stronger magnetic fields and higher energies at later times. For a detailed view of the multimessenger observables, we extract the gravitational-wave signal and compute nucleosynthesis yields, the expected kilonova and afterglow light curves from our ejecta profiles.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Volume
- 113
- Issue
- 4
- Publication date
- 15 January 2026
- Language
- EN