Status of experimental constraints for the nuclear equation of state*

The equation of state (EOS) is a fundamental property of nuclear matter, important for studying the structure of systems as diverse as the atomic nucleus and neutron stars. Understanding the physics of neutron stars is becoming even more important recently because of the observation of gravitational waves from the neutron star merger. Nuclear reactions involving heavy-ion collisions in the laboratories can produce the nuclear matter similar to those contained in neutron stars and allow the exploration of the equation of state of nuclear matters over a wide range of densities and temperatures. The current status of the experimental constraints and future prospects from the experiments in the existing facilities in US and Japan will be presented.