Hybrid stars: Spin-polarized nuclear matter and density-dependent quark masses

Abstract

The possibility of formation of a droplet phase (DP) inside a star and its consequences on the structural properties of the star are investigated. For nuclear matter (NM), an equation of state (EOS) based on finite range, momentum and density dependent interaction, and which predicts that neutron matter undergoes ferromagnetic transition at densities realisable inside the neutron star is employed. An EOS for quark matter (QM) with density dependent quark masses, the so-called effective mass model, is constructed by correctly treating the quark chemical potentials. It is then found that a droplet phase consisting of strange quark matter and unpolarised nuclear matter sandwiched between a core of polarised nuclear matter and a crust containing unpolarised nuclear matter exists. Moreover, we could explain the mass and surface magnetic field satisfactorily, and as well allow, due to the presence of a droplet phase, the direct URCA process to happen.