Numerical relativity simulations of neutron star mergers*

The detection of gravitational waves and light from a pair of merging neutron stars ushered in the era of multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves.  Neutron star mergers have been confirmed to be progenitors to at least a fraction of short gamma-ray bursts, and one of the astrophysical sites of production for r-process elements, like gold. Neutron star mergers also offer us the opportunity to witness the behavior of matter at extreme densities, in conditions that cannot be produced in terrestrial laboratories. Neutron star merger observations could provide insight on some of the most important open questions in high-energy and nuclear astrophysics. However, their interpretation is challenging due to the complex nature of these events. Numerical relativity simulations are the only tool able to potentially connect all observables to the merger dynamics. In this talk, I will review recent simulation results, focusing on the fate of the merger remnant, and on the mass ejection during and after the mergers. I will present our efforts on the modeling of the electromagnetic counterpart to such mergers, and their applicability to joint electromagnetic and gravitational-wave analysis of the observations. Finally, I will discuss current limitations to the simulations and future prospects for this field.