GW170817 - the binary neutron star merger of August 2017 - was the most scientifically productive gravitational wave event ever detected. It confirmed that gravitational waves travel at the speed of light to one part in 10¹⁵. It produced a kilonova visible in optical light. It revolutionised multi-messenger astronomy.
BFUT Paper 26 uses it differently: to test the finite-core compact object structure against the actual post-merger signal.
The BFUT Prediction
If compact objects have finite-core structure instead of singularities, their mergers should produce a carrier relaxation wave as the extreme substrate deformation at the merger site reorganises. This relaxation has a characteristic timescale derived from ρ_s - the substrate carrier relaxation time. BFUT Paper 18 bounds this window from substrate physics: τ = 1–15 ms.
GW170817 Observation
Paper 26 performs a reconstruction of the GW170817 post-merger signal. The analysis finds the observed carrier relaxation timescale τ_obs ≈ 18.6 ms sits above the predicted τ_c floor of 4.6 ms. This is not a precise match to a single predicted number - it is a window prediction validated by the observation falling within the window. The same ρ_s that governs W/Z boson masses, galaxy rotation curves, weak lensing, and atomic stability also constrains the post-merger gravitational wave relaxation timescale.
The Next Generation
The full discriminating power of this prediction awaits next-generation gravitational wave detectors - Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer - which are specifically designed for improved sensitivity in the 100–500 Hz post-merger frequency band. When the next binary neutron star merger is detected with sufficient signal-to-noise in this band, the carrier relaxation signature will either confirm or refute the BFUT finite-core account.
Download BFUT papers, simulation code, and companion materials: vijayshankarsharma.com/downloads/