Gravitational-wave imprints of nonconvex dynamics in binary neutron star mergers

Explaining gravitational-wave (GW) observations of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers requires an understanding of matter beyond nuclear saturation density. Our current knowledge of the properties of high-density matter relies on electromagnetic and GW observations, nuclear physics experiments, and general relativistic numerical simulations. Using a phenomenological nonconvex equation of state (EoS) we conduct a suite of numerical-relativity simulations of BNS mergers and identify observable imprints on the GW spectra of the remnant. Nonconvex regions may be associated with first order phase transitions from nuclear/hadronic matter to deconfined quark matter, present in some realistic EoS from nuclear physics. The dynamics triggered by our nonconvex EoS induces a significant shift in the peak frequency of the dominant oscillation mode of the post-merger remnant (of order $\Delta f \gtrsim 380$ Hz) with respect to that of binaries with convex (or regular) dynamics.