  Gravitational wave observations can potentially measure properties of neutron
star equations of state by measuring departures from the point-particle limit
of the gravitational waveform produced in the late inspiral of a neutron star
binary. Numerical simulations of inspiraling neutron star binaries computed for
equations of state with varying stiffness are compared. As the stars approach
their final plunge and merger, the gravitational wave phase accumulates more
rapidly if the neutron stars are more compact. This suggests that gravitational
wave observations at frequencies around 1 kHz will be able to measure a
compactness parameter and place stringent bounds on possible neutron star
equations of state. Advanced laser interferometric gravitational wave
observatories will be able to tune their frequency band to optimize sensitivity
in the required frequency range to make sensitive measures of the late-inspiral
phase of the coalescence.
