SPEAKER: Bruno Giacomazzo (University of Trento)
ABSTRACT: Binary neutron stars (BNSs) are one of the most promising sources for the first detections of gravitational waves (GWs) by ground-based detectors (such as, advanced LIGO and Virgo). They may also emit powerful electromagnetic (EM) signal and they are thought to be behind the central engine that powers short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs). In this talk I will review the results of fully general relativistic simulations of binary neutron star mergers performed with the Whisky code. I will describe both their GW and EM emission and what we can learn from their detection. I will in particular describe how BNS mergers can be used to infer the equation of state of neutron star matter and how they can be related to SGRBs.