title: Prospects for gravitational-wave observations of neutron-star tidal disruption in neutron-star-black-hole binaries.
abstract: For an inspiraling neutron-star-black-hole (NS-BH) binary, we estimate the gravity-wave frequency f(td) at the onset of NS tidal disruption. We model the NS as a tidally distorted, homogeneous, Newtonian ellipsoid on a circular, equatorial geodesic around a Kerr BH. We find that f(td) depends strongly on the NS radius R, and estimate that LIGO-II (ca. 2006-2008) might measure R to 15% precision at 140 Mpc ( approximately 1 event/yr under current estimates). This suggests that LIGO-II might extract valuable information about the NS equation of state from tidal-disruption waves.
authors.affiliation: Theoretical Astrophysics 130-33, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 and INFN, Sezione di Milano, Gruppo Collegato di Parma/Università di Parma, 43100 Parma, Italy. vallis@caltech.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallisneri
mesh_terms: D055580:Astronomical Phenomena; D001256:Astronomy; D006112:Gravitation; D009502:Neutrons