Compact Star populations in the galaxy and the Cosmos

• Grant number: 24/16892-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Jorge Ernesto Horvath
• Grantee: Jorge Ernesto Horvath
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alison Mitchell ; Floor Broekgaarden ; Ingrid Domingos Pelisoli ; Jonas Pedro Pereira ; Lieke van Son ; Lívia Silva Rocha
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/01653-5 - Compact object binaries in the galaxy and the resulting mass distributions, BP.DD; 25/01641-7 - Double Neutron Star systems: origin and demographics, BP.MS

Abstract

This Plan aims to study the populations and classes of neutron stars and black holes. We propose to investigate the cosmic evolution of the population, the objects resulting from the mergers of NSs detected in GW and X-gamma bands: what is their distribution of final masses, both for remaining NSs (if any) and BHs. We will help to establish the origin of the merging binary systems, the evolutionary channels and their diversity. We will continue with the study of the issue of the maximum mass of NS (with important consequences for the equation of state of superdense matter). Contributions from "spider" binary systems, which could produce the largest NS masses in Nature, and possibly low-mass black holes to be sought in real X-ray sources; and the Double Neutron Star channels. Finally, we will study subgroups of neutron stars and their evolutionary relationships, such as magnetars, long-period sources and ordinary pulsars, including their thermal histories and the dynamics of magnetic fields and rotation itself, subjects that we have been studying into for more than 3 decades, and in which we have contributed with concrete results. We will use numerical simulations with widely popular specialized codes (COMPAS, MESA, etc.) and proper computational (like the BOSSA code, developed by our group) and theoretical tools suitable for these purposes. (AU)