5 research outputs found
Chiral symmetry in linear Sigma model in magnetic environment
We study the chiral symmetry structure in a linear sigma model with fermions
in the presence of an external, uniform magnetic field in the 'effective
potential' approach at the one loop level. We also study the chiral phase
transition as a function of density in the core of magnetized neutron stars.Comment: LaTex2e file with six postscript figures. journal ref: Physical
Review D 62 (2000) 02502
Symmetry structure and phase transitions
We study chiral symmetry structure at finite density and temperature in the
presence of external magnetic field and gravity, a situation relevant in the
early Universe and in the core of compact stars.
We then investigate the dynamical evolution of phase transition in the
expanding early Universe and possible formation of quark nuggets and their
survival.Comment: Plenary talk given at the 4th. ICPAQGP held at Jaipur, India from Nov
26-30, 2001.laTex 2e file with 8 ps figures and 12 page
Evolutionary and pulsational properties of white dwarf stars
Abridged. White dwarf stars are the final evolutionary stage of the vast
majority of stars, including our Sun. The study of white dwarfs has potential
applications to different fields of astrophysics. In particular, they can be
used as independent reliable cosmic clocks, and can also provide valuable
information about the fundamental parameters of a wide variety of stellar
populations, like our Galaxy and open and globular clusters. In addition, the
high densities and temperatures characterizing white dwarfs allow to use these
stars as cosmic laboratories for studying physical processes under extreme
conditions that cannot be achieved in terrestrial laboratories. They can be
used to constrain fundamental properties of elementary particles such as axions
and neutrinos, and to study problems related to the variation of fundamental
constants.
In this work, we review the essentials of the physics of white dwarf stars.
Special emphasis is placed on the physical processes that lead to the formation
of white dwarfs as well as on the different energy sources and processes
responsible for chemical abundance changes that occur along their evolution.
Moreover, in the course of their lives, white dwarfs cross different
pulsational instability strips. The existence of these instability strips
provides astronomers with an unique opportunity to peer into their internal
structure that would otherwise remain hidden from observers. We will show that
this allows to measure with unprecedented precision the stellar masses and to
infer their envelope thicknesses, to probe the core chemical stratification,
and to detect rotation rates and magnetic fields. Consequently, in this work,
we also review the pulsational properties of white dwarfs and the most recent
applications of white dwarf asteroseismology.Comment: 85 pages, 28 figures. To be published in The Astronomy and
Astrophysics Revie