Letters of Intent received in 2018

LoI 2020-2039
Non-GA Symposium: Neutron star astrophysics in the multi-messenger era.

Topics

Fundamental physics: equation of state and neutron star properties constrained by multi-messenger (gravitational waves, neutrinos, and photons) observations

Nucleosynthesis: what is the contribution of binary neutron stars to the production of heavy elements across the Universe?

Relativistic astrophysics: do all neutron star mergers create relativistic jets capable of producing short gamma-ray bursts?

Emission processes: how do the compact binary properties affect thermal and non-thermal emission? Do the interactions between two neutron stars and a neutron star and a black hole differ in terms of electromagnetic emission?

Cosmology: what are the prospects for the local Hubble constant measurement from gravitational waves?

Progenitors: how do compact object form and evolve?

Rationale

The last few years saw the blossoming of multi-messenger astronomy, a new way to study the Universe by combining light with non-photonic messengers such as gravitational waves and neutrinos. These messengers are released by some of the most extreme events known in nature, such as colliding neutron stars, black holes or supernova explosions, and carry unique information hidden from the view of electromagnetic observations.

The breakthrough for gravitational wave multi-messenger astronomy occurred on 17 August 2017 with the detection of a chirp signal from two merging neutron stars, GW170817, successively observed across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma-rays to radio. Over 2,000 astronomers and 80 telescopes across the globe took part to one of the most vigorous observing campaigns ever carried out. A comparable enthusiasm and participation will likely accompany the next run of advanced LIGO and Virgo, planned to start in early 2019.

At the time of this symposium in 2020, first results and possibly new discoveries from the LIGO and Virgo run will be available. They will be complemented by a plethora of electromagnetic observations to be compared to the first results obtained in 2017, as well as new advancement in signal modeling and theoretical interpretation of the observations.

The symposium will give an overview of the astrophysical implications of the gravitational wave and electromagnetic detections involving neutron stars. It will focus on the status, perspectives and challenges in the multi-messenger knowledge of the physics of neutron stars and of the related energetic transients, such as gamma ray bursts, kilonova and supernovae. It will include discussions on next generation of facilities for multi-messenger astronomy and their associated science cases.

This IAU symposium will provide an interdisciplinary forum, timely bringing together astronomers, computational and nuclear physicists, gravitational wave researchers and others to discuss their new findings and lay down the open questions to be solved in the first decade of multi-messenger astrophysics.

In order to be comprehensive and cover observations and theory of the wide range of transients involving neutron stars, and prospects with future multi-messenger observatories, we ask for a full 5 day symposium. The SOC will be assembled to ensure a wide representation of different topics and scientific communities. SOC and invited speakers will be carefully balanced with regard to gender and geographical location. In addition to the scientific program, we will also provide some outreach activities in the form of public talks related to the meeting.