Impact of neutrino-electron scattering and an improved treatment of pair processes on binary neutron star mergers

Abstract

Multimessenger observations of neutron star mergers are unique opportunities to constrain the properties of dense matter and the production site of heavy nuclei. To leverage these observations, we require reliable models of the electromagnetic signals powered by mergers. An important limitation to our ability to develop such models is the use of approximate neutrino physics in simulations. Here, we present simulations using an improved version of our Monte Carlo transport algorithm specifically designed to allow for more advanced on-the-fly calculations of reaction rates that use the simulated energy distribution of neutrinos, including in blocking factors, while still relying on approximations for the angular distribution of neutrinos. We use these new methods to include in simulations inelastic scattering of neutrinos on electrons, and to improve our treatment of neutrino-antineutrino pair annihilation. We find that, without increasing the cost of simulations, we can marginally get to the point when the addition of a single packet represents a change $\Delta f_\nu<1$ in the angle-integrated distribution function, at the cost of increased shot noise in the coupling to the fluid. With inelastic scattering and a better treatment of pair processes, we find a reduction in the average energy and total luminosity of heavy-lepton neutrinos, and an increase in the amount of mass ejected -- here by $50\%$, although on a relatively low amount of total ejected mass $<0.005M_\odot$. In a separate set of simulations varying the total mass of the binary away from its prompt collapse threshold, we find rapid variations in the amount of ejected matter and in the geometry and composition of the outflows with the total mass of the system. Finally, we use the simulations with our more advanced transport scheme to study in more detail the energy spectrum of neutrinos across the merger remnant.