Strange Quarks Nuggets in Space: Charges in Seven Settings

TL;DR

This paper calculates the charge, equilibrium times, and binding energies of strange quark nuggets in space across seven different environments, providing insights into their electromagnetic properties.

Contribution

It presents the first comprehensive calculations of charge development and related properties of strange quark nuggets in various space settings.

Findings

Charge development on SQNs varies across environments.

Equilibrium times for charge stabilization are quantified.

Binding energies of SQN electrons are estimated.

Abstract

We have computed the charge that develops on an SQN in space as a result of balance between the rates of ionization by ambient gammas and capture of ambient electrons. We have also computed the times for achieving that equilibrium and binding energy of the least bound SQN electrons. We have done this for seven different settings. We sketch the calculations here and give their results in the Figure and Table II; details are in the Physical Review D.79.023513 (2009).