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1. Photon propagation in magnetized dense quark matter. A possible solution for the missing pulsar problem.

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2536/1/012005  

   Ferrer, Efrain J (June 2023, Journal of Physics: Conference Series)

   Abstract In this paper it is reviewed the topological properties and possible astrophysical consequences of a spatially inhomogeneous phase of quark matter, known as the Magnetic Dual Chiral Density Wave (MDCDW) phase, that can exist at intermediate baryon density in the presence of a magnetic field. Going beyond mean-field approximation, it is shown how linearly polarized electromagnetic waves penetrating the MDCDW medium can mix with the phonon fluctuations to give rise to two hybridized modes of propagation called as axion polaritons because of their similarity with certain modes found in condensed matter for topological magnetic insulators. The formation of axion polaritons in the MDCDW core of a neutron star can serve as a mechanism for the collapse of a neutron star under the bombardment of the gamma rays produced during gamma ray bursts. This mechanism can provide a possible solution to the missing pulsar problem in the galactic center. 

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2. Magnetic Dual Chiral Density Wave: A Candidate Quark Matter Phase for the Interior of Neutron Stars

   https://doi.org/10.3390/universe7120458  

   Ferrer, Efrain J.; de la Incera, Vivian (December 2021, Universe)

   In this review, we discuss the physical characteristics of the magnetic dual chiral density wave (MDCDW) phase of dense quark matter and argue why it is a promising candidate for the interior matter phase of neutron stars. The MDCDW condensate occurs in the presence of a magnetic field. It is a single-modulated chiral density wave characterized by two dynamically generated parameters: the fermion quasiparticle mass m and the condensate spatial modulation q. The lowest-Landau-level quasiparticle modes in the MDCDW system are asymmetric about the zero energy, a fact that leads to the topological properties and anomalous electric transport exhibited by this phase. The topology makes the MDCDW phase robust against thermal phonon fluctuations, and as such, it does not display the Landau–Peierls instability, a staple feature of single-modulated inhomogeneous chiral condensates in three dimensions. The topology is also reflected in the presence of the electromagnetic chiral anomaly in the effective action and in the formation of hybridized propagating modes known as axion-polaritons. Taking into account that one of the axion-polaritons of this quark phase is gapped, we argue how incident γ-ray photons can be converted into gapped axion-polaritons in the interior of a magnetar star in the MDCDW phase leading the star to collapse, a phenomenon that can serve to explain the so-called missing pulsar problem in the galactic center. 

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3. Magnetic Dual Chiral Density Wave: A Candidate Quark Matter Phase for the Interior of Neutron Stars

   https://doi.org/doi.org/ 10.3390/universe7120458  

   Ferrer, Efrain J.; Incera, Vivian (November 2021, Universe)

   MDPI (Ed.)

   In this review, we discuss the physical characteristics of the magnetic dual chiral density wave (MDCDW) phase of dense quark matter and argue why it is a promising candidate for the interior matter phase of neutron stars. The MDCDW condensate occurs in the presence of a magnetic field. It is a single-modulated chiral density wave characterized by two dynamically generated parameters: the fermion quasiparticle mass m and the condensate spatial modulation q. The lowest- Landau-level quasiparticle modes in the MDCDW system are asymmetric about the zero energy, a fact that leads to the topological properties and anomalous electric transport exhibited by this phase. The topology makes the MDCDW phase robust against thermal phonon fluctuations, and as such, it does not display the Landau–Peierls instability, a staple feature of single-modulated inhomogeneous chiral condensates in three dimensions. The topology is also reflected in the presence of the electromagnetic chiral anomaly in the effective action and in the formation of hybridized propagating modes known as axion-polaritons. Taking into account that one of the axion-polaritons of this quark phase is gapped, we argue how incident γ-ray photons can be converted into gapped axion-polaritons in the interior of a magnetar star in the MDCDW phase leading the star to collapse, a phenomenon that can serve to explain the so-called missing pulsar problem in the galactic center 

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4. The $$^{12}$$C$$(\alpha ,\gamma )^{16}$$O reaction, in the laboratory and in the stars

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01537-1  

   de_Boer, R J; Best, A; Brune, C R; Chieffi, A; Hebborn, C; Imbriani, G; Liu, W P; Shen, Y P; Timmes, F X; Wiescher, M (April 2025, The European Physical Journal A)

   Abstract The evolutionary path of massive stars begins at helium burning. Energy production for this phase of stellar evolution is dominated by the reaction path 3$$\alpha \rightarrow ^{12}$$ $\alpha {\to }^{12}$C$$(\alpha ,\gamma )^{16}$$ ${(\alpha ,\gamma )}^{16}$O and also determines the ratio of$$^{12}$$ $_{}^{12}$C/$$^{16}$$ $_{}^{16}$O in the stellar core. This ratio then sets the evolutionary trajectory as the star evolves towards a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole. Although the reaction rate of the 3$$\alpha $$ $\alpha$process is relatively well known, since it proceeds mainly through a single narrow resonance in$$^{12}$$ $_{}^{12}$C, that of the$$^{12}$$ $_{}^{12}$C$$(\alpha ,\gamma )^{16}$$ ${(\alpha ,\gamma )}^{16}$O reaction remains uncertain since it is the result of a more difficult to pin down, slowly-varying, portion of the cross section over a strong interference region between the high-energy tails of subthreshold resonances, the low-energy tails of higher-energy broad resonances and direct capture. Experimental measurements of this cross section require herculean efforts, since even at higher energies the cross section remains small and large background sources are often present that require the use of very sensitive experimental methods. Since the$$^{12}$$ $_{}^{12}$C$$(\alpha ,\gamma )^{16}$$ ${(\alpha ,\gamma )}^{16}$O reaction has such a strong influence on many different stellar objects, it is also interesting to try to back calculate the required rate needed to match astrophysical observations. This has become increasingly tempting, as the accuracy and precision of observational data has been steadily improving. Yet, the pitfall to this approach lies in the intermediary steps of modeling, where other uncertainties needed to model a star’s internal behavior remain highly uncertain. 

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5. An Allard-type boundary regularity theorem for $2d$ minimizing currents at smooth curves with arbitrary multiplicity

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10240-024-00144-y  

   De Lellis, Camillo; Nardulli, Stefano; Steinbrüchel, Simone (February 2024, Publications mathématiques de l'IHÉS)

   Abstract We consider integral area-minimizing 2-dimensional currents$$T$$ $T$in$$U\subset \mathbf {R}^{2+n}$$ $U\subset R^{2+n}$with$$\partial T = Q\left [\!\![{\Gamma }\right ]\!\!]$$ $\partial T=Q〚\Gamma 〛$, where$$Q\in \mathbf {N} \setminus \{0\}$$ $Q\in N\setminus \left\{0\right\}$and$$\Gamma $$ $\Gamma$is sufficiently smooth. We prove that, if$$q\in \Gamma $$ $q\in \Gamma$is a point where the density of$$T$$ $T$is strictly below$$\frac{Q+1}{2}$$ $\frac{Q+1}{2}$, then the current is regular at$$q$$ $q$. The regularity is understood in the following sense: there is a neighborhood of$$q$$ $q$in which$$T$$ $T$consists of a finite number of regular minimal submanifolds meeting transversally at$$\Gamma $$ $\Gamma$(and counted with the appropriate integer multiplicity). In view of well-known examples, our result is optimal, and it is the first nontrivial generalization of a classical theorem of Allard for$$Q=1$$ $Q=1$. As a corollary, if$$\Omega \subset \mathbf {R}^{2+n}$$ $\Omega \subset R^{2+n}$is a bounded uniformly convex set and$$\Gamma \subset \partial \Omega $$ $\Gamma \subset \partial \Omega$a smooth 1-dimensional closed submanifold, then any area-minimizing current$$T$$ $T$with$$\partial T = Q \left [\!\![{\Gamma }\right ]\!\!]$$ $\partial T=Q〚\Gamma 〛$is regular in a neighborhood of $$\Gamma $$ $\Gamma$. 

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