# Quark formation and phenomenology in binary neutron-star mergers using V-QCD

### Submission summary

 As Contributors: Samuel Tootle Preprint link: scipost_202208_00023v1 Date accepted: 2022-09-01 Date submitted: 2022-08-11 17:58 Submitted by: Tootle, Samuel Submitted to: SciPost Physics Academic field: Physics Specialties: Gravitation, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics High-Energy Physics - Theory Nuclear Physics - Theory Approaches: Theoretical, Computational

### Abstract

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 $\lesssim 10\,\rm{ms}$ 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 multi-messenger observations of binary neutron-star mergers can have in constraining the equation of state of nuclear matter, especially in its most extreme regimes.

Published as SciPost Phys. 13, 109 (2022)

In this resubmission, we address the excellent comments and concerns raised by all three referees.

### List of changes

- Revised conclusion to address citations to previous works.
- Revised conclusion to address future work focusing on the distribution and convergence of quark matter formation in BNS mergers.
- Updated caption for Fig. 4

### Submission & Refereeing History

Resubmission scipost_202208_00023v1 on 11 August 2022
Submission 2205.05691v1 on 27 May 2022

## Reports on this Submission

### Report

The authors have addressed my questions to my satisfaction, and they have carried out the only change I had asked for. Therefore, I recommend the publication of this manuscript in its present form.

• validity: -
• significance: -
• originality: -
• clarity: -
• formatting: -
• grammar: -

### Report

The referees have addressed my questions/comments in a comprehensive manner and coupled with the changes made to the manuscript, I am happy to recommend the work for publication.

• validity: top
• significance: top
• originality: top
• clarity: top
• formatting: perfect
• grammar: perfect

### Report 1 by Ronnie Rodgers on 2022-8-12 (Invited Report)

• Cite as: Ronnie Rodgers, Report on arXiv:scipost_202208_00023v1, delivered 2022-08-12, doi: 10.21468/SciPost.Report.5527

### Report

The authors have adequately addressed my questions. I think perhaps I was unclear in my requested change. The issue is not which observable corresponds to which symbol; this is clear from the legend of the plot. I meant that it would be helpful for the authors to explain in the text what they mean by plotting (for example) maximum temperature on temperature vs baryon number axes. However, this is only a very minor issue and I am happy to recommend publication of the article in its current form.

• validity: high
• significance: good
• originality: high
• clarity: high
• formatting: excellent
• grammar: excellent