Spin Clustering of Accreting X-ray Neutron Stars as Possible Evidence of Quark Matter

A neutron star in binary orbit with a low-mass non-degenerate companion becomes a source of x-rays with millisecond variability when mass accretion spins it up. Centrifugally driven changes in density profile may initiate a phase transition in a growing region of the core parallel to what may take place in an isolated millisecond pulsar, but in reverse. Such a star will spend a longer time in the spin frequency range over which the transition occurs than elsewhere because the change of phase, paced by the spinup rate, is accompanied by a growth in the moment of inertia. The population of accreters will exhibit a clustering in the critical frequency range. A phase change triggered by changing spin and the accompanying adjustment of moment of inertia has its analogue in rotating nuclei.Comment: 5 pages (AIPproc latex) 6 figures. To be presented at the International Conference on Nuclear Physics, 30 July - 3 August 2001, Berkeley, Californi

Comment on ``Signal of Quark Deconfinement in the Timing Structure of Pulsar Spin-Down''

This is a comment on a paper by Glendenning, Pei, and Weber (Phys. Rev. Lett., 79, 1603, 1997), where the authors gave an incorrect estimate of the event rate and neglected the important gravitational energy release. Previous work on the same subject is reviewed, and a new suggestion is made to link quark-hadron phase transitions with soft gamma-ray repeaters.Comment: 4 pages; to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Properties of Magnetized Quark-Hybrid Stars

The structure of a magnetized quark-hybrid stars (QHS) is modeled using a standard relativistic mean-field equation of state (EoS) for the description of hadronic matter. For quark matter we consider a bag model EoS which is modified perturbatively to account for the presence of a uniform magnetic field. The mass-radius (M-R) relationship, gravitational redshift and rotational Kepler periods of such stars are compared with those of standard neutron stars (NS).Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, prepared for the 2nd International Symposium on Strong Electromagnetic Fields and Neutron Stars (SMFNS2011), Varadero, Cuba, 5-7 May 201

Surface Tension between Kaon Condensate and Normal Nuclear Matter Phase

We calculate for the first time the surface tension and curvature coefficient of a first order phase transition between two possible phases of cold nuclear matter, a normal nuclear matter phase in equilibrium with a kaon condensed phase, at densities a few times the saturation density. We find the surface tension is proportional to the difference in energy density between the two phases squared. Furthermore, we show the consequences for the geometrical structures of the mixed phase region in a neutron star.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures (Latex

Signal of Quark Deconfinement in the Timing Structure of Pulsar Spin-Down

The conversion of nuclear matter to quark matter in the core of a rotating neutron star alters its moment of inertia. Hence the epoch over which conversion takes place will be signaled in the spin-down "signal_prl.tex" 581 lines, 22203 characters characteristics of pulsars. We find that an observable called the braking index should be easily measurable during the transition epoch and can have a value far removed (by orders of magnitude) from the canonical value of three expected for magnetic dipole radiation, and may have either sign. The duration of the transition epoch is governed by the slow loss of angular momentum to radiation and is further prolonged by the reduction in the moment of inertia caused by the phase change which can even introduce an era of spin-up. We estimate that about one in a hundred pulsars may be passing through this phase. The phenomenon is analogous to ``bachbending'' observed in the moment of inertia of rotating nuclei observed in the 1970's, which also signaled a change in internal structure with changing spin.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Revtex. (May 12, 1997, submitted to PRL

Hyperons in a relativistic mean-field approach to asymmetric nuclear matter

Relativistic mean-field theory with $\delta$ meson, nonlinear isoscalar self-interactions and isoscalar-isovector cross interaction terms with parametrizations obtained to reproduce Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for nuclear matter is used to study asymmetric nuclear matter properties in $\beta$-equilibrium, including hyperon degrees of freedom and (hidden) strange mesons. Influence of cross interaction on composition of hyperon matter and electron chemical potential is examined. Softening of nuclear equation of state by the cross interactions results in lowering of hyperonization, although simultaneously enhancing a hyperon-induced decrease of the electron chemical potential, thus indicating further shift of a kaon condensate occurence to higher densities.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, published in Phys. Rev.

Sensitivity of the Moment of Inertia of Neutron Stars to the Equation of State of Neutron-Rich Matter

The sensitivity of the stellar moment of inertia to the neutron-star matter equation of state is examined using accurately-calibrated relativistic mean-field models. We probe this sensitivity by tuning both the density dependence of the symmetry energy and the high density component of the equation of state, properties that are at present poorly constrained by existing laboratory data. Particularly attractive is the study of the fraction of the moment of inertia contained in the solid crust. Analytic treatments of the crustal moment of inertia reveal a high sensitivity to the transition pressure at the core-crust interface. This may suggest the existence of a strong correlation between the density dependence of the symmetry energy and the crustal moment of inertia. However, no correlation was found. We conclude that constraining the density dependence of the symmetry energy - through, for example, the measurement of the neutron skin thickness in 208Pb - will place no significant bound on either the transition pressure or the crustal moment of inertia.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, 5 table

Neutron spin polarization in strong magnetic fields

The effects of strong magnetic fields on the inner crust of neutron stars are investigated after taking into account the anomalous magnetic moments of nucleons. Energy spectra and wave functions for protons and neutrons in a uniform magnetic field are provided. The particle spin polarizations and the yields of protons and neutrons are calculated in a free Fermi gas model. Obvious spin polarization occurs when $B\geq10^{14}$G for protons and $B\geq10^{17}$G for neutrons, respectively. It is shown that the neutron spin polarization depends solely on the magnetic field strength.Comment: Replaced by the revised version; 10 pages, including 3 eps figure