Astrophysics

Neutron stars are some of the densest objects in the universe, and as such, the conditions at the cores of these extreme objects are impossible to reproduce on Earth. However, we can use data from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo gravitational wave detector to gain insights into the physics of neutron stars.

What happens when two neutron stars collide? What extreme densities and temperatures are reached? What new states of matter exist within the core of a neutron star? One Kent State College of Arts and Sciences theoretical astrophysicist, Veronica Dexheimer, associate professor in the Department of Physics, is diving headfirst into these questions as a co-principal investigator collaborating with her peers at multiple institutions on a recently funded cyberinfrastucture research grant project.