Impact of modified gravity theory on neutron star and nuclear matter properties

Abstract: New observational data, measured with a high degree of accuracy, of compact isolated neutron stars and binary stars in gravitational wave remnants have the potential to explore the strong field gravity. Within the framework of energy-momentum squared gravity (EMSG) theory we study its impact on several properties of neutron stars and plausible modifications from the predictions of general relativity. Based on a representative set of relativistic nuclear mean field models, non-relativistic Skyrme-Hartree-Fock models and microscopic calculations, we show deviations of neutron star mass-radius sequence in EMSG theory as compared to general relativity. The variation in the effective nuclear equation of state in EMSG, results in distinct magnitudes in the reduced pressure, speed of sound, and maximum compactness at the center of neutron stars. We perform extensive correlation analysis of the nuclear model parameters with the neutron star observables in light of the new observational bounds. Perceptible modifications in the correlations are found in the models of gravity that provide different estimates of the slope and curvature of nuclear matter symmetry energy. The available neutron star data however do not impose stringent enough constraints for clear evidence of deviations from general relativity.