Quark-hadron mixed phases in protoneutron stars

TL;DR

This paper explores the formation and properties of quark-hadron mixed phases in protoneutron stars, considering different surface tension scenarios and their impact on star evolution.

Contribution

It introduces a new type of mixed phase enabled by lepton number conservation, expanding understanding of phase transitions in protoneutron stars.

Findings

Existence of a new mixed phase due to lepton number conservation.

Different mixed phase behaviors depending on surface tension values.

Potential effects on protoneutron star evolution.

Abstract

We consider the possible formation of the quark hadron mixed phase in protoneutron stars. We discuss two cases: the first one, corresponding to a vanishingly small value of the surface tension of quark matter, is the well known mixed phase in which the global electric charge neutrality condition is imposed. In turn, this produces a non-constant pressure mixed phase. In the second case, corresponding to very large values of the surface tension, the charge neutrality condition holds only locally. However, the existence in protoneutron star matter of an additional globally conserved charge, the lepton number, allows for a new type of non-constant pressure mixed phase. We discuss the properties of the new mixed phase and the possible effects of its formation during the evolution of protoneutron stars.