Dense Stellar Matter Research Articles

Two-flavor Color Superconducting Quark Stars May Not Exist

Large uncertainties in the determinations of the equation of state of dense stellar matter allow for the intriguing possibility that the bulk quark matter in beta equilibrium might be the true ground state of the matter at zero pressure. Also, quarks will form Cooper pairs very readily since the dominant interaction between quarks is attractive in some channels. As a result, quark matter will generically exhibit color superconductivity, with the favored pairing pattern at intermediately high densities being two-flavor pairing. In the light of several possible candidates for such self-bound quark stars, including the very low-mass central compact object in supernova remnant HESS J1731-347 reported recently, we carry out a one-field theoretic model, the Nambu–Jona–Lasinio model, to investigate the stability of the beta-stable two-flavor color superconducting (2SC) phase of quark matter, but find no physically allowed parameter space for the existence of 2SC quark stars.

Ultra-low-mass and small-radius white dwarfs made of heavy elements

Seven possible ultra-low-mass and small-radius white dwarfs have been recently identified, with masses ranging from ∼0.02 M⊙ to ∼0.08 M⊙ and radii ranging from ∼ 4,270 km to 10670 km. The mass–radius measurements of these white dwarfs pose challenges to traditional white dwarf models, assuming they are mostly made of nuclei lighter than 56Fe. In this work, we consider the possibility that those white dwarfs are made of heavier elements. Due to the small charge-to-mass ratios in heavy elements, the electron number density in white dwarf matter is effectively reduced, which reduces the pressure with additional contributions of lattice energy and electron polarization corrections. This consequently leads to white dwarfs with much smaller masses and radii, which coincide with the seven ultra-low-mass and small-radius white dwarfs. The mass of the most massive white dwarfs is effectively reduced and could possibly account for the sub-Chandrasekhar progenitors in underluminous Type Ia supernovae. The corresponding equation of state and matter contents of dense stellar matter with and without reaching the cold-catalyzed ground state are presented, which are obtained using the latest Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME 2020). Further observations are necessary to unveil the actual matter contents in those white dwarfs via, e.g., spectroscopy, asteroseismology, and the discoveries of other ultra-low-mass and small-radius white dwarfs.

Can we distinguish quark stars from neutron stars with measurements of global properties?

The phase state of the dense stellar matter is an exciting topic in the area of nuclear astrophysics. It may be probed by observed properties of neutron stars from, for example, the currently operating satellites (NICER, Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) and the gravitational-wave laser interferometers (Advanced LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA). Based on our recent constrained parameter spaces of the equation of states of neutron stars and quark stars from LIGO/Virgo and NICER, we discuss the important role of an even-accurate determination of the stellar radius for distinguishing possible quark stars from neutron stars and our understanding of the QCD phase transition at finite density.

Sound velocity in dense stellar matter with strangeness and compact stars * *Supported by National SKA Program of China (2020SKA0120300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11873040), the Youth Innovation Fund of Xiamen (3502Z20206061), Ningbo Natural Science Foundation (2019A610066), CAS “Light of West China” Program (2018-XBQNXZ-B-025) and Tianshan Youth Program (2018Q039)

The phase state of dense matter in the intermediate density range ( 1-10 times the nuclear saturation density) is both intriguing and unclear and can have important observable effects in the present gravitational wave era of neutron stars. As matter density increases in compact stars, the sound velocity is expected to approach the conformal limit ( ) at high densities and should also fulfill the causality limit ( ). However, its detailed behavior remains a prominent topic of debate. It was suggested that the sound velocity of dense matter could be an important indicator of a deconfinement phase transition, where a particular shape might be expected for its density dependence. In this work, we explore the general properties of the sound velocity and the adiabatic index of dense matter in hybrid stars as well as in neutron stars and quark stars. Various conditions are employed for the hadron-quark phase transition with varying interface tension. We find that the expected behavior of the sound velocity can also be achieved by the nonperturbative properties of the quark phase, in addition to a deconfinement phase transition. Moreover, it leads to a more compact star with a similar mass. We then propose a new class of quark star equation of states, which can be tested by future high-precision radius measurements of pulsar-like objects.

Systematic study on the quark-hadron mixed phase in compact stars

We investigate systematically the quark-hadron mixed phase in dense stellar matter, and its influence on compact star structures. The properties of quark matter and hadronic matter are fixed based on various model predictions. Beside adopting constant values, the surface tension $\Sigma$ for the quark-hadron interface is estimated with the multiple reflection expansion method and equivparticle model. To fix the structures of quark-hadron pasta phases, a continuous dimensionality of the structure is adopted as proposed by Ravenhall, Pethick, and Wilson. The corresponding properties of hybrid stars are then obtained and confronted with pulsar observations. It is found that the correlation between radius and tidal deformability in traditional neutron stars preserves in hybrid stars. For those permitted by pulsar observations, in almost all cases the quark phase persists inside the most massive compact stars. The quark-hadron interface plays an important role on hybrid star structures once quark matter emerges. The surface tension $\Sigma$ estimated with various methods increases with density, which predicts stiffer EOSs for the quark-hadron mixed phase and increases the maximum mass of hybrid stars. The EOSs of hybrid star matter are well constrained at densities $n\lesssim 0.8$ fm${}^{-3}$, while larger uncertainty is expected at higher densities.

Energy of a quantum Coulomb liquid

ABSTRACT Using the Metropolis method to compute path integrals, the energy of a quantum strongly coupled Coulomb liquid (1 ≤ Γ ≤ 175), composed of distinguishable atomic nuclei and a uniform incompressible electron background, is calculated from first principles. The range of temperatures and densities considered represents fully ionized layers of white dwarfs and neutron stars. In particular, the results allow one to determine reliably the heat capacity of ions in dense fluid stellar matter, which is a crucial ingredient for modelling the thermal evolution of compact degenerate stars.

Shell-model computed cross sections for charged-current scattering of astrophysical neutrinos off Ar40

Charged-current (anti)neutrino-$^{40}\mathrm{Ar}$ cross sections for astrophysical neutrinos have been calculated. The initial and final nuclear states were calculated using the nuclear shell model. The folded solar-neutrino scattering cross section was found to be $1.78(23)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}42}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, which is higher than what the previous papers have reported. The contributions from the ${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ multipoles were found to be significant at supernova-neutrino energies, confirming the random-phase approximation (RPA) result of a previous study. The effects of neutrino flavor conversions in dense stellar matter (matter oscillations) were found to enhance the neutrino-scattering cross sections significantly for both the normal and inverted mass hierarchies. For the antineutrino scattering, only a small difference between the nonoscillating and inverted-hierarchy cross sections was found, while the normal-hierarchy cross section was 2--3 times larger than that of the nonoscillating cross section, depending on the adopted parametrization of the Fermi-Dirac distribution. This property of the supernova-antineutrino signal could probably be used to distinguish between the two hierarchies in megaton LAr detectors.

Equilibrium nuclear ensembles taking into account vaporization of hot nuclei in dense stellar matter

We investigate the high-temperature effect on the nuclear matter that consists of mixture of nucleons and all nuclei in the dense and hot stellar environment. The individual nuclei are described within the compressible liquid-drop model that is based on Skyrme interactions for bulk energies and that takes into account modifications of the surface and Coulomb energies at finite temperatures and densities. The free-energy density is minimized with respect to the individual equilibrium densities of all heavy nuclei and the nuclear composition. We find that their optimized equilibrium densities become smaller and smaller at high temperatures because of the increase of thermal contributions to bulk free energies and the reduction of surface energies. The neutron-rich nuclei become unstable and disappear one after another at some temperatures. The calculations are performed for two sets of model parameters leading to different values of the slope parameter in the nuclear symmetry energy. It is found that the larger slope parameter reduces the equilibrium densities and the melting temperatures. We also compare the new model with some other approaches and find that the mass fractions of heavy nuclei in the previous calculations that omit vaporization are underestimated at $T \lesssim 10$MeV and overestimated at $T\gtrsim10$~MeV. The further sophistication of calculations of nuclear vaporization and of light clusters would be required to construct the equation of state for explosive astrophysical phenomena.

Self-consistent calculation of the nuclear composition in hot and dense stellar matter

We investigate the mass fractions and in-medium properties of heavy nuclei in stellar matter at characteristic densities and temperatures for supernova (SN) explosions. The individual nuclei are described within the compressible liquid-drop model taking into account modifications of bulk, surface and Coulomb energies. The equilibrium properties of nuclei and the full ensemble of heavy nuclei are calculated self-consistently. It is found that heavy nuclei in the ensemble are either compressed or decompressed depending on the isospin asymmetry of the system. The compression or decompression has a little influence on the binding energies, total mass fractions and average mass numbers of heavy nuclei, although the equilibrium densities of individual nuclei themselves are changed appreciably above one hundredth of normal nuclear density. We find that nuclear structure in single nucleus approximation deviates from the actual one obtained in the multi-nucleus description, since the density of free nucleons is different between these two descriptions. This study indicates that a multi-nucleus description is required to realistically account for in-medium effects on the nuclear structure in supernova matter.

Delta Resonance Coupling with Walecka’s Mesons: Implications to Stellar Matter EoS

In this work we have obtained the equation of state to the highly asymmetric dense stellar matter, using the nonlinear Walecka model in the mean field approximation. We discussed the implication of changes in coupling constant of the delta baryonic resonance on the observable of the neutron star. A detailed analysis of the equation of state and of the baryonic effective mass in respect to changes in the delta coupling constants is carried out. We focus attention on a new aspect observed for pressure when varying the baryonic density of the medium; a first order phase transition like a liquid-gas phase transition was observed for an acceptable range of delta coupled constant values. We have explored the implication of this aspect for the neutron star structure and their maximum masses.

Binary and ternary ionic compounds in the outer crust of a cold nonaccreting neutron star

The outer crust of a cold nonaccreting neutron star has been generally assumed to be stratified into different layers, each of which consists of a pure body-centered cubic ionic crystal in a charge compensating background of highly degenerate electrons. The validity of this assumption is examined by analyzing the stability of multinary ionic compounds in dense stellar matter. It is thus shown that their stability against phase separation is uniquely determined by their structure and their composition irrespective of the stellar conditions. However, equilibrium with respect to weak and strong nuclear processes imposes very stringent constraints on the composition of multinary compounds, and thereby on their formation. By examining different cubic and noncubic lattices, it is found that substitutional compounds having the same structure as cesium chloride are the most likely to exist in the outer crust of a nonaccreting neutron star. The presence of ternary compounds is also investigated. Very accurate analytical expressions are obtained for the threshold pressure, as well as for the densities of the different phases irrespective of the degree of relativity of the electron gas. Finally, numerical calculations of the ground-state structure and of the equation of state of the outer crust of a cold nonaccreting neutron star are carried out using recent experimental and microscopic nuclear mass tables.

Diffusive currents and Coulomb separation of ions in dense matter

We derive diffusive currents in strongly coupled Coulomb ion mixtures in dense stellar matter. Coulomb coupling in the presence of gravity and electric fields, induced by gravity owing to plasma polarization, creates a specific diffusion current which separates ions with the same A/Z (mass to charge number ratios) but different Z. This Coulomb separation can be important in white dwarfs and neutron stars.

Diffusion and Coulomb Separation of Ions in Dense Matter

We analyze diffusion equations in strongly coupled Coulomb mixtures of ions in dense stellar matter. Strong coupling of ions in the presence of gravitational forces and electric fields (induced by plasma polarization in the presence of gravity) produces a specific diffusion current which can separate ions with the same A/Z (mass to charge number) ratios but different Z. This Coulomb separation of ions can be important for the evolution of white dwarfs and neutron stars.

Effects of strong magnetic fields in dense stellar matter

AbstractWe study the effects of strong magnetic fields in dense stellar matter within an effective relativistic equation of state with the inclusion of hyperons and Δ(1232)-isobar degrees of freedom. The effects of high magnetic field interactions significantly affect the nuclear equation of state and the macroscopic properties of the star. In this framework we investigate the role of the presence of the Δ-isobars degrees of freedom in structure and in the bulk properties of the compact star.

Nuclei in Dense Matter and Equation of State

Correlations are an essential feature of interacting many-body systems such as nuclear and stellar matter. They cause the formation of clusters, i.e. nuclei and scattering resonances, changing the chemical composition and affecting the thermodynamical properties of the system. The equation of state has to be known in a wide range of density, temperature and isospin asymmetry for astrophysical simulations of core-collapse supernovae and compact stars. In a generalized relativistic density functional approach, the properties of dense stellar matter can be described with the correct limits at low densities, the model-independent virial equation of state, and at high densities using a quasiparticle mean-field approach. Effects of correlations and changes of the cluster properties in dilute matter can be studied experimentally in heavy-ion collisions.

STRUCTURE OF COMPACT STARS WITH DENSE HADRONIC MATTER AT THE CORE

For a dense stellar matter, it is generally expected that as density increases, new degrees of freedom will emerge as the electron chemical potential becomes comparable to their energy scales. We discuss the nature of symmetry energy, which measures the energy relevant to the neutron-proton asymmetry and more importantly determines the electron chemical potential in weak equilibrium. The possible structure of compact stars with strangeness is briefly discussed for the case of kaon condensation.

Dense stellar matter with strange quark matter driven by kaon condensation

The core of neutron-star matter is supposed to be at a much higher density than the normal nuclear matter density for which various possibilities have been suggested such as, for example, meson or hyperon condensation and/or deconfined quark or color-superconducting matter. In this work, we explore the implication on hadron physics of a dense compact object that has three "phases", nuclear matter at the outer layer, kaon condensed nuclear matter in the middle and strange quark matter at the core. Using a drastically simplified but not unreasonable model, we develop the scenario where the different phases are smoothly connected with the kaon condensed matter playing a role of "doorway" to a quark core, the equation of state (EoS) of which with parameters restricted within the range allowed by nature could be made compatible with the mass vs. radius constraint given by the 1.97-solar mass object PSR J1614-2230 recently observed.

Warm and dense stellar matter under strong magnetic fields

We investigate the effects of strong magnetic fields on the equation of state of warm stellar matter as it may occur in a protoneutron star. Both neutrino free and neutrino trapped matter at a fixed entropy per baryon are analyzed. A relativistic mean field nuclear model, including the possibility of hyperon formation, is considered. A density dependent magnetic field with the magnitude $10^{15}$ G at the surface and not more than $3\times 10^{18}$ G at the center is considered. The magnetic field gives rise to a neutrino suppression, mainly at low densities, in matter with trapped neutrinos. It is shown that an hybrid protoneutron star will not evolve to a low mass blackhole if the magnetic field is strong enough and the magnetic field does not decay. However, the decay of the magnetic field after cooling may give rise to the formation of a low mass blackhole.

Neutrino diffusion and mass ejection in protoneutron stars

We discuss the mass ejection mechanism induced by diffusion of neutrino during the early stage of the protoneutron star cooling. A dynamical calculation is employed in order to determine the amount of matter ejected and the remnant compact object mass. An equation of state considering hadronic and quark phases for the stellar dense matter was used to solve the whole time evolution of the system during the cooling phase. The initial neutrino population was obtained by considering beta equilibrium in the dense stellar matter with confined neutrinos, in the very early period of the deleptonic stage of the nascent pulsar. For specified initial configurations of the protoneutron star, we solve numerically the set of equations of motion together with neutrino diffusion through the dense stellar medium.

Dense stellar matter with trapped neutrinos under strong magnetic fields

We investigate the effects of strong magnetic fields on the equation of state of dense stellar neutrino-free and neutrino-trapped matter. Relativistic nuclear models both with constant couplings (NLW) and with density-dependent parameters (DDRH) and including hyperons are considered. It is shown that at low densities, neutrinos are suppressed in the presence of the magnetic field. The magnetic field reduces the strangeness fraction of neutrino-free matter and increases the strangeness fraction of neutrino-trapped matter. We have studied some properties of stars with trapped neutrinos and strong magnetic fields. A density-dependent magnetic field with the magnitude 1015 G at the surface was considered. The magnetic field reduces the strangeness content of the star, and, as a consequence, the possibility of formation of a black hole after the outflow of neutrinos, since it is the appearance of exotic matter in neutrino-free matter that may induce a black-hole formation, if the EOS becomes too soft.