Secondary component of gravitational-wave signal GW190814 as an anisotropic neutron star

Abstract: The gravitational-wave signal GW190814 involves a compact object with mass $(2.50-2.67){\rm M}_\odot$ within the so-called low mass gap. As yet, a general consensus on its nature, being a black hole, a neutron star or an exotic star, has not been achieved. We investigate the possibility this compact object to be an anisotropic neutron star. Anisotropies in a neutron star core arise naturally by effects such as superfluidity, hyperons, strong magnetic fields and allow the maximum mass to exceed that of the ideally isotropic stars. We consider the Krori-Barua ansatz to model an anisotropic core and constrain the equation of state with LIGO/Virgo observations GW170817 and GW190814. We find that the GW190814 secondary component can be an anisotropic neutron star compatible with LIGO/Virgo constraints if the radius attains a value in the range $(13.2-14.0)\,{\rm km}$ with the anisotropic core's boundary density in the range $(3.5-4.0)\cdot 10^{14}{\rm g}/{\rm cm}^3$.