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arXiv · 2601.05176

A new code for computing differentially rotating neutron stars

Samuel D. Tootle·Terrence Pierre Jacques·Marie Cassing
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Abstract

We present new initial data codes for constructing stationary, axisymmetric equilibrium models of differentially rotating neutron stars in full general relativity within the Frankfurt University/KADATH (FUKA) suite of initial data codes. FUKA leverages the KADATH spectral library to solve the Einstein equations under the assumption of an isentropic fluid without magnetic fields while incorporating GRHayLEOS to support 3D tabulated equations of state in \textit{stellar collapse} format. The two solvers explored in this work include one using quasi-isotropic coordinates (QIC) in Spherical coordinates while the other solves the eXtended Conformal Thin Sandwich (XCTS) decomposition in Cartesian coordinates, enabling the construction of equilibrium configurations with high accuracy and efficiency. In this work we adopt the Komatsu-Eriguchi-Hachisu differential rotation law, however, the code is designed to be extensible to other rotation laws, allowing for exploration of physically relevant sequences and critical rotation thresholds. Furthermore, we perform convergence tests demonstrating the exponential accuracy of the spectral approach, we validate QIC and XCTS solutions against models well-studied in the literature, and we also compare FUKA solutions against the well-known RNS code. Finally, we explore the impact that initial data resolution has on dynamical simulations and recover the convergence order of the evolution scheme, the dominate source of error in this study. The new FUKA codes and results presented here lay the foundation for future extensions to more general configurations, including magnetic fields, removal of isentropic assumptions, and binary systems, and have been made publicly available to support community efforts in modeling differentially rotating relativistic stars.

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Samuel D. Tootle, Terrence Pierre Jacques, Marie Cassing. 2026-01-08. A new code for computing differentially rotating neutron stars. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.05176

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