Introduction to RNS: building a Neutron Star model

Gravitational waves detected from the GW170817 neutron star merger event and complementary information from its electromagnetic counterpart were pivotal in confirming the broad picture describing the possible outcomes of a binary neutron star (BNS) merger. In order to study this challenging event through numerical relativity, it is needed to start from an initial configuration. Analyzing the code RNS developed by Prof. Nikolaos Stergioulas, we will construct single-star models of rapidly-rotating, relativistic, compact stars using politropic equation of state (EoS) or tabulated ones which are supplied by the user.