David E. Alvarez-Castillo

A new quark-hadron hybrid equation of state for astrophysics - I. High-mass twin compact stars

Aims: We present a new microscopic hadron-quark hybrid equation of state model for astrophysical applications, from which compact hybrid star configurations are constructed. These are composed of a quark core and a hadronic shell with a first-order phase transition at their interface. The resulting mass-radius relations are in accordance with the latest astrophysical constraints. Methods: The quark matter description is based on a quantum chromodynamics (QCD) motivated chiral approach with higher-order quark interactions in the Dirac scalar and vector coupling channels. For hadronic matter we select a relativistic mean-field equation of state with density-dependent couplings. Since the nucleons are treated in the quasi-particle framework, an excluded volume correction has been included for the nuclear equation of state at suprasaturation density which takes into account the finite size of the nucleons. Results: These novel aspects, excluded volume in the hadronic phase and the higher-order repulsive interactions in the quark phase, lead to a strong first-order phase transition with large latent heat, i.e. the energy-density jump at the phase transition, which fulfils a criterion for a disconnected third-family branch of compact stars in the mass-radius relationship. These twin stars appear at high masses (

Romanovski polynomials in selected physics problems

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Implications from GW170817 and I-Love-Q relations for relativistic hybrid stars

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New class of hybrid EoS and Bayesian M - R data analysis

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CROSSOVER TRANSITION TO QUARK MATTER IN HEAVY HYBRID STARS

) that are relevant for current observations of high-mass pulsars. Conclusions: This analysis offers a unique possibility by radius observations of compact stars to probe the QCD phase diagram at zero temperature and large chemical potential and even to support the existence of a critical point in the QCD phase diagram.

New Bayesian analysis of hybrid EoS constraints with mass-radius data for compact stars

We briefly review the five possible real polynomial solutions of hypergeometric differential equations. Three of them are the well known classical orthogonal polynomials, but the other two are different with respect to their orthogonality properties. We then focus on the family of polynomials which exhibits a finite orthogonality. This family, to be referred to as the Romanovski polynomials, is required in exact solutions of several physics problems ranging from quantum mechanics and quark physics to random matrix theory. It appears timely to draw attention to it by the present study. Our survey also includes several new observations on the orthogonality properties of the Romanovski polynomials and new developments from their Rodrigues formula.

High-mass twins & resolution of the reconfinement, masquerade and hyperon puzzles of compact star interiors

ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenphysik Darmstadt, Germany; Russian Science Foundation [7-12-01427]; COST Action [MP1304, GWverse CA16104]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [SE 1836/3-2]

Mass-radius constraints for the neutron star EoS - Bayesian analysis

Abstract.We explore systematically a new class of two-phase equations of state (EoS) for hybrid stars that is characterized by three main features: 1) stiffening of the nuclear EoS at supersaturation densities due to quark exchange effects (Pauli blocking) between hadrons, modelled by an excluded volume correction; 2) stiffening of the quark matter EoS at high densities due to multiquark interactions; and 3) possibility for a strong first-order phase transition with an early onset and large density jump. The third feature results from a Maxwell construction for the possible transition from the nuclear to a quark matter phase and its properties depend on the two parameters used for 1) and 2), respectively. Varying these two parameters, one obtains a class of hybrid EoS that yields solutions of the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equations for sequences of hadronic and hybrid stars in the mass-radius diagram which cover the full range of patterns according to the Alford-Han-Prakash classification following which a hybrid star branch can be either absent, connected or disconnected with the hadronic one. The latter case often includes a tiny connected branch. The disconnected hybrid star branch, also called “third family”, corresponds to high-mass twin stars characterized by the same gravitational mass but different radii. We perform a Bayesian analysis and demonstrate that the observation of such a pair of high-mass twin stars would have a sufficient discriminating power to favor hybrid EoS with a strong first-order phase transition over alternative EoS.

Mass and radius constraints for compact stars and the QCD phase diagram

We study the possibility that the transition from hadron matter to quark matter at vanishing temperatures proceeds via crossover, similar to the crossover behavior found with lattice QCD studies at high temperatures. The purpose is to examine astrophysical consequences of this postulate by constructing hybrid star sequences fulfilling current experimental data.

Mixed phase within the multi-polytrope approach to high-mass twins

We suggest a new Bayesian analysis using disjunct mass and radius constraints for extracting probability measures for cold, dense nuclear matter equations of state. One of the key issues of such an analysis is the question of a deconfinement transition in compact stars and whether it proceeds as a crossover or rather as a first order transition. The latter question is relevant for the possible existence of a critical endpoint in the QCD phase diagram under scrutiny in present and upcoming heavy-ion collision experiments.