Detecting QCD Phase Transitions in binary neutron star mergers

We present avenues for the detection of QCD phase transitions in a merger of neutron stars by the next generation of gravitational wave detectors: Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope. We perform numerical relativity simulations of binary neutron star mergers with finite temperature equations of state and realistic neutrino transport. Our models explore scenarios of exclusively nucleonic mergers and two prescriptions for the deconfinement phase transition. We then employ a state of the art NR-calibrated postmerger model to compute posteriors on the dominant peak frequency of the postmerger. We find that for postmerger signal to noise ratios as low as 10, we can differentiate (to 90% level) the peak frequency between binaries with and without a phase transition. In addition, we can also detect phase transition-induced deviations from quasi-universal relations, provided that such a phase transition is sufficiently strong.