Formation of Quark Phases in compact stars and their connection to Gamma-Ray-Bursts

TL;DR

This paper investigates the connection between quark phase formation inside compact stars and the temporal structure of Gamma-Ray Bursts, proposing a model linking quark deconfinement and phase transitions to observed GRB features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model connecting quark phase transitions in hadronic stars to the temporal structure of GRBs, explaining quiescent times via phase nucleation delays.

Findings

Long quiescent times divide GRBs into three phases.

Quark deconfinement and phase transitions explain GRB temporal features.

CFL phase stability in compact stars is discussed.

Abstract

We analyse the occurrence of quiescent times in the temporal structure of the Gamma-Ray-Bursts (GRBs) light curves. We show that if a long quiescent time is present, it is possible to divide the total duration of GRBs into three periods: the pre-quiescence emission, the quiescent time and the post-quiescence emission. We then discuss a model of the GRBs inner engine based on the formation of quark phases during the life of an hadronic star. Within this model the pre-quiescence emission is interpreted as due to the deconfinement of quark inside an hadronic star and the formation of 2SC quark matter. The post-quiescence emission is due to the conversion of 2SC into the Color-Flavor-Locking (CFL) phase. The temporal delay between these two processes is connected with the nucleation time of the CFL phase in the 2SC phase and it can be associated with the observed quiescent times in the GRBs light curves. The stability of CFL cores in compact stars is also discussed.