Gravitational-wave astrophysics from neutron star inspiral and coalescence

Prior to the observation of a double neutron star inspiral and merger, its possible implications were striking. Events whose light and gravitational waves are simultaneously detected could resolve the 50-year mystery of the origin of short gamma-ray bursts; they might provide strong evidence for (or against) mergers as the main source of half the heaviest elements (the r-process elements); and they could give an independent measurement of the Hubble constant. The closest events can also address a primary goal of gravitational-wave astrophysics: From the imprint of tides on inspiral waveforms, one can find the radius and tidal distortion of the inspiraling stars and infer the behavior of cold matter above nuclear density. Remarkably, the first observation of the inspiral and coalescence of a double neutron star system was accompanied by a gamma-ray burst and then an array of electromagnetic counterparts, and the combined effort of the gravitational-wave and astronomy communities has led to dramatic advances along all of these anticipated avenues of multimessenger astrophysics.