Colloquium: Exploring the Interiors of Neutron Stars

Speaker

Cole Miller, University of Maryland

Abstract

Neutron stars have long beckoned to physicists from many fields as realms  of extreme physics beyond what we can test in terrestrial laboratories. In the realm of nuclear physics, the lure is that the cores of neutron stars are several times denser than atomic nuclei and yet are technically cold; this state is unique in the universe and holds clues to the nature of very dense matter.  After many years of sparse hints, astronomical observations are opening this realm to our gaze.  These observations include recent observations of an especially massive neutron star, the first information about neutron stars from gravitational waves, and mass-radius information anticipated from the NICER mission.  I will describe how our picture of neutron star cores is beginning to come into focus.