Numerical simulations for the merger of binary neutron stars are performed in full general relativity incorporating a finite-temperature (Shen’s) equation of state (EOS) and neutrino cooling for the first time. It is found that for this stiff EOS, a hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) with a long lifetime ($\gg 10\mathrm{ms}$) is the outcome for the total mass $\lesssim 3.0M_{\odot }$. It is shown that the typical total neutrino luminosity of the HMNS is $\sim 3–8\times {10}^{53}\mathrm{erg}/\mathrm{s}$ and the effective amplitude of gravitational waves from the HMNS is $4–6\times {10}^{-22}$ at $f=2.1–2.5\mathrm{kHz}$ for a source distance of 100 Mpc. We also present the neutrino luminosity curve when a black hole is formed for the first time.

• Received 11 May 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.051102