Merger of two neutron stars: predictions from the two-families scenario
Abstract
If only one family of "neutron stars" exists, their maximum mass must be equal or larger than 2 M and then only in less than about 18\% of cases the outcome of the merger of two neutron stars is a direct collapse to a black hole, since the newly formed system can avoid the collapse at least until differential rotation is present. In the so-called two-families scenario, stars made of hadrons are stable only up to about 1.5-1.6 M, while the most massive compact stars are entirely made of strange quark matter. We show that in this scenario the outcome of the merger of two neutron stars is a prompt collapse in at least 34\% of the cases. It will therefore be easy to discriminate between the two scenarios once the gravitational waves emitted at the moment of the merger are detected.