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Unified study of nuclear physics and dark matter constraints through gravitational-wave observations of binary neutron star mergers
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Submitted 23 Feb 2026 · Published version
abstract compiled · 2026-09-24 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim Consequently, systematic biases in nuclear empirical parameter inference potentially resulting from such a dark matter component are expected to be negligible even for observations with next-generation gravitational-wave detectors.
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Understanding the properties of strongly interacting matter at extreme densities is a central problem in fundamental physics, with neutron star mergers offering a natural laboratory to probe this regime. However, the complexity of the merger process complicates the interpretation of the associated gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signals. This picture becomes even more complex in the potential scenario in which dark matter accumulates around and in neutron stars, altering their structure and the associated observables. In this work, we study synthetic gravitational-wave observations of binary neutron star mergers with next-generation detectors, investigating their potential to extract both nuclear physics and dark matter constraints. We also examine how the potential presence of fermionic, non-self-interacting dark matter inside neutron stars affects the inference of nuclear empirical parameters. We find that combining observations can tighten constraints on nuclear empirical parameters. However, the inferred values remain sensitive to systematic modeling biases and intrinsic degeneracies among the parameters. Conversely, our analysis reveals that for non-self-interacting fermionic dark matter at mass fractions below one percent, it will be unlikely to find decisive evidence for dark matter when analyzing gravitational-wave signals. Consequently, systematic biases in nuclear empirical parameter inference potentially resulting from such a dark matter component are expected to be negligible even for observations with next-generation gravitational-wave detectors.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | Understanding the properties of strongly interacting matter at extreme densities is a central problem in fundamental physics, with neutron star mergers offering a natural laboratory to probe this regime. | background 1.00 | 0.04 | 0.02 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | However, the complexity of the merger process complicates the interpretation of the associated gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signals. | background 0.78 | 0.05 | 0.01 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | This picture becomes even more complex in the potential scenario in which dark matter accumulates around and in neutron stars, altering their structure and the associated observables. | background 0.92 | 0.04 | 0.02 | hedged possibility 0.78 |
| s3 | In this work, we study synthetic gravitational-wave observations of binary neutron star mergers with next-generation detectors, investigating their potential to extract both nuclear physics and dark matter constraints. | contribution 0.97 | 0.92 | 0.05 | asserted 0.73 |
| s4 | We also examine how the potential presence of fermionic, non-self-interacting dark matter inside neutron stars affects the inference of nuclear empirical parameters. | contribution 0.95 | 0.71 | 0.04 | hedged possibility 0.50 |
| s5 | We find that combining observations can tighten constraints on nuclear empirical parameters. | result 1.00 | 0.96 | 0.30 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | However, the inferred values remain sensitive to systematic modeling biases and intrinsic degeneracies among the parameters. | limitation 0.79 | 0.85 | 0.10 | asserted 0.98 |
| s7 | Conversely, our analysis reveals that for non-self-interacting fermionic dark matter at mass fractions below one percent, it will be unlikely to find decisive evidence for dark matter when analyzing gravitational-wave signals. | result 1.00 | 0.92 | 0.23 | hedged possibility 0.67 |
| s8 | Consequently, systematic biases in nuclear empirical parameter inference potentially resulting from such a dark matter component are expected to be negligible even for observations with next-generation gravitational-wave detectors. | interpretation 0.88 | 0.67 | 0.26 | hedged possibility 0.97 |
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Original abstract
Understanding the properties of strongly interacting matter at extreme densities is a central problem in fundamental physics, with neutron star mergers offering a natural laboratory to probe this regime. However, the complexity of the merger process complicates the interpretation of the associated gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signals. This picture becomes even more complex in the potential scenario in which dark matter accumulates around and in neutron stars, altering their structure and the associated observables. In this work, we study synthetic gravitational-wave observations of binary neutron star mergers with next-generation detectors, investigating their potential to extract both nuclear physics and dark matter constraints. We also examine how the potential presence of fermionic, non-self-interacting dark matter inside neutron stars affects the inference of nuclear empirical parameters. We find that combining observations can tighten constraints on nuclear empirical parameters. However, the inferred values remain sensitive to systematic modeling biases and intrinsic degeneracies among the parameters. Conversely, our analysis reveals that for non-self-interacting fermionic dark matter at mass fractions below one percent, it will be unlikely to find decisive evidence for dark matter when analyzing gravitational-wave signals. Consequently, systematic biases in nuclear empirical parameter inference potentially resulting from such a dark matter component are expected to be negligible even for observations with next-generation gravitational-wave detectors.
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References
How the literature uses it
What this paper does with the arXiv papers it cites
What it cites · 123 sentences without a confident label
Uses the method or tool of 19 papers
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All simulations of GW observations are conducted under the assumption of aligned-spin BNS configurations, utilizing the waveform model [ref] .
Frequency-domain gravitational waves from non-precessing black-hole binaries. I. New numerical waveforms and anatomy of the signal · Employed gravitational-wave data and detector setup · 1.00
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All simulations of GW observations are conducted under the assumption of aligned-spin BNS configurations, utilizing the waveform model [ref] .
Effective-one-body model for black-hole binaries with generic mass ratios and spins · Employed gravitational-wave data and detector setup · 1.00
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All simulations of GW observations are conducted under the assumption of aligned-spin BNS configurations, utilizing the waveform model [ref] .
Improving the NRTidal model for binary neutron star systems · Employed gravitational-wave data and detector setup · 1.00
Uses data or values from 2 papers
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Event A is constructed using system parameters inferred from the multi-messenger Bayesian analysis of the observed GW signal GW170817 and its EM counterparts GRB170817A and AT2017gfo presented in [ref] .
An updated nuclear-physics and multi-messenger astrophysics framework for binary neutron star mergers · Employed gravitational-wave data and detector setup · 1.00
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For each EOS model, the choice of injected EOSs is guided by independent constraints on the symmetry energy and its slope reported in [ref] , which favor values of $E_sym ≈32$ MeV and $L_sym ≈50$ MeV.
From existing and new nuclear and astrophysical constraints to stringent limits on the equation of state of neutron-rich dense matter · Employed gravitational-wave data and detector setup · 0.93
Compares with 1 paper
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For reference, the figure also includes experimental results from CREX as well as photoabsorption measurements reported by [ref] .
Electric dipole polarizability of $^{48}$Ca and implications for the neutron skin · Quantifying the constraints for each equation-of-state model · 0.91
Cites as support 2 papers
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Nevertheless, as shown before, e.g., in [ref] , strong intrinsic degeneracies among NEPs limit the extent to which direct sampling alone can improve constraints from GW observations.
Can we decipher the composition of the core of a neutron star? · Scope and robustness of the analysis · 0.97
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Nevertheless, as shown before, e.g., in [ref] , strong intrinsic degeneracies among NEPs limit the extent to which direct sampling alone can improve constraints from GW observations.
Nuclear physics constraints from binary neutron star mergers in the Einstein Telescope era · Scope and robustness of the analysis · 0.97
Cites as background 11 papers
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Several studies have therefore investigated whether current observations can already constrain properties of DM-admixed (DMA) NSs [ref] .
Constraining self-interacting fermionic dark matter in admixed neutron stars using multimessenger astronomy · Introduction · 0.84
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Several studies have therefore investigated whether current observations can already constrain properties of DM-admixed (DMA) NSs [ref] .
2509.07767 · Introduction · 0.84
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Several studies have therefore investigated whether current observations can already constrain properties of DM-admixed (DMA) NSs [ref] .
Probing fermionic asymmetric dark matter cores using global neutron star properties · Introduction · 0.84
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