When Stars Collide: Unveiling the Universe’s Hidden Particles

New simulations show that neutrinos created during these cataclysmic neutron star collisions are briefly out of thermodynamic equilibrium with the cold cores of the merging stars.

Recent simulations by Penn State physicists have shown that in binary neutron star mergers, hot neutrinos can be briefly trapped and remain out of equilibrium, providing new understanding of these cosmic events. This research emphasizes the role of simulations in studying phenomena that cannot be experimentally replicated.