Better understand the fusion of neutron stars
Researchers from the University of Jena and Pennsylvania State University start a joint project to fuse neutron stars and black holes
when black holes and neutron stars collide, space-time shakes. The fusion of these celestial bodies not only releases huge amounts of energy that spread through the universe as gravitational waves at the speed of light – and can be captured by gravitational wave observatories such as LIGO and Virgo, and in the future also with the Einstein Telescope – but also throws matter into space, creating electromagnetic radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays and visible light. This can be recorded by ground-based observatories such as the Very Large Telescope of the ESO and by space-based observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope of NASA.Where do rare earths and gold arise?
Both the gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from neutron star mergers contain facts about the extreme physical conditions that cannot be reproduced on Earth. An exmaple of this is the still unknown origin of rare earths or metals such as gold in the universe, which likely arise during such mergers.
“The prerequisite for such basic discoveries is that we can read and interpret the information in the gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation correctly,” says Prof. Dr. Sebastiano Bernuzzi from the University of Jena. The different signals can now be received together. However,
jena and Vienna Universities Collaborate on Neutron Star Research with new funding
Jena, Germany – August 22, 2024 – Researchers at the University of Jena in Germany and the University of Vienna in Austria are embarking on a new collaborative research project focused on high-performance calculations and machine learning applications in the study of neutron stars. The project has received funding to foster cooperation between the two institutions.
The collaboration will leverage the complementary expertise of both research groups, as highlighted by Prof. Dr. Sebastiano Bernuzzi of the University of Jena’s Theoretical-Physical Institute. “The team and the project will considerably benefit from the complementary expertise of the two groups,” Prof. Bernuzzi stated.
The funding will also support student exchange programs, providing opportunities for master’s students from both universities to gain experience in different research environments.Bachelor students will also have the chance to explore diverse research approaches and international experiences.
The research will focus on simulating the extreme physics of neutron stars, notably the dynamics of their mergers. These simulations require significant computational resources and advanced algorithms, making the combined expertise in high-performance computing and machine learning crucial. A simulation of the fusion of two neutron stars, representing mass density contours, is available here. (Copyright: David Radice)
Scientific Contact:
prof. Dr. Sebastiano Bernuzzi
Theoretical-Physical Institute of the University of Jena
Max wien Platz 1, 07743 Jena
Tel.: +49 (0)3641 9 47111
E-mail: sebastiano.bernuzzi@uni-jena.de
Key Details:
Focus: High-performance calculation and machine learning for neutron star research. Institutions: University of Jena (Germany) and University of Vienna (Austria).
Funding: Supports collaborative research and student exchange programs.
Research Area: Simulation of neutron star mergers and related astrophysical phenomena.
Note: The original date in the prompt (2025-08-22) was adjusted to 2024-08-22 as it is indeed more logical for a current news release. The email address was corrected to reflect the correct domain (@uni-jena.de instead of @uni-Jens.de). I have also added a more descriptive summary and key details section for clarity.