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In the first part of this paper, we investigate the possible existence of a structured hadron-quark mixed phase in the cores of neutron stars. This phase, referred to as the hadron-quark pasta phase, consists of spherical blob, rod, and slab rare phase geometries. Particular emphasis is given to modeling the size of this phase in rotating neutron stars. We use the relativistic mean-field theory to model hadronic matter and the non-local three-flavor Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model to describe quark matter. Based on these models, the hadron-quark pasta phase exists only in very massive neutron stars, whose rotational frequencies are less than around 300 Hz. All other stars are not dense enough to trigger quark deconfinement in their cores. Part two of the paper deals with the quark-hadron composition of hot (proto) neutron star matter. To this end we use a local three-flavor Polyakov–Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model which includes the ’t Hooft (quark flavor mixing) term. It is found that this term leads to non-negligible changes in the particle composition of (proto) neutron stars made of hadron-quark matter.
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g-mode oscillations in hybrid stars: A tale of two sounds
We study the principal core g-mode oscillation in hybrid stars containing quark matter and find that they have an unusually large frequency range (≈200–600 Hz) compared to ordinary neutron stars or self-bound quark stars of the same mass. Theoretical arguments and numerical calculations that trace this effect to the difference in the behavior of the equilibrium and adiabatic sound speeds in the mixed phase of quarks and nucleons are provided. We propose that the sensitivity of core g-mode oscillations to non-nucleonic matter in neutron stars could be due to the presence of a mixed quark-nucleon phase. Based on our analysis, we conclude that for binary mergers where one or both components may be a hybrid star, the fraction of tidal energy pumped into resonant g-modes in hybrid stars can exceed that of a normal neutron star by a factor of 2 to 3, although resonance occurs during the last stages of inspiral. A self-bound star, on the other hand, has a much weaker tidal overlap with the g-mode. The cumulative tidal phase error in hybrid stars, Δφ ≅ 0.5 rad, is comparable to that from tides in ordinary neutron stars, presenting a challenge in distinguishing between the two cases. However, should the principal g-mode be excited to sufficient amplitude for detection in a postmerger remnant with quark matter in its interior, its frequency would be a possible indication for the existence of non-nucleonic matter in neutron stars.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1913693
- PAR ID:
- 10276439
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Physical review
- Volume:
- 103
- ISSN:
- 2470-0010
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 123009
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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