Constraining the Maximum Mass of Neutron Stars from Multi-messenger Observations of GW170817

Abstract We combine electromagnetic (EM) and gravitational-wave (GW) information on the binary neutron star (NS) merger GW170817 in order to constrain the radii and maximum mass of NSs. GW170817 was followed by a range of EM counterparts, including a weak gamma-ray burst (GRB), kilonova (KN) emission from the radioactive decay of the merger ejecta, and X-ray/radio emission consistent with being the synchrotron afterglow of a more powerful off-axis jet. The type of compact remnant produced in the immediate merger aftermath, and its predicted EM signal, depend sensitively on the high-density NS equation of state (EOS). For a soft EOS that supports a low , the merger undergoes a prompt collapse accompanied by a…