Damping Times for Neutron Star Oscillations

The frequencies and damping times due to (bulk and shear) viscosity and gravitational radiation reaction are computed for the lowest frequency modes of a wide range of nonrotating fully relativistic neutron star models. These computations generalize previous results by determining the effects of bulk viscosity by examining a large set of modes, and by expanding the sample of neutron star matter equations of state. These damping times play a crucial role in determining the stability of rapidly rotating neutron stars and in any model of periodic astrophysical phenomena that involves a pulsating neutron star.