What can we learn about neutron stars from gravity-wave observations?

Abstract

In the next few years, the first detections of gravity-wave signals using Earth-based interferometric detectors will begin to provide precious new information about the structure and dynamics of compact bodies such as neutron stars. The intrinsic weakness of gravity-wave signals requires a proactive approach to modeling the prospective sources and anticipating the shape of the signals that we seek to detect. Full-blown 3-D numerical simulations of the sources are playing and will play an important role in planning the gravity-wave data-analysis effort. I review some recent analytical and numerical work on neutron stars as sources of gravity waves.