Phase transition from nuclear matter to color superconducting quark matter: the effect of the isospin

TL;DR

This paper investigates the phase transition from nuclear matter to color superconducting quark matter, focusing on the effects of isospin, and explores potential experimental signatures of the 2SC phase.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the mixed phase properties between nuclear matter and 2SC quark matter, highlighting differences due to isospin and pairing effects.

Findings

The symmetry energy of 2SC phase is about three times larger than that of normal quark matter.

The properties of the mixed phase differ significantly depending on whether 2SC or normal quark matter is considered.

Possible experimental signatures of 2SC phase formation are discussed for low energy heavy ion collisions.

Abstract

We compute the mixed phase of nuclear matter and 2SC matter for different temperatures and proton fractions. After showing that the symmetry energy of the 2SC phase is, to a good approximation, three times larger than the one of the normal quark phase, we discuss and compare all the properties of the mixed phase with a 2SC component or a normal quark matter component. In particular, the local isospin densities of the nuclear and the quark component and the stiffness of the mixed phase are significantly different whether the 2SC phase or the normal quark phase are considered. If a strong diquark pairing is adopted for the 2SC phase, there is a possibility to eventually enter in the nuclear matter 2SC matter mixed phase in low energy heavy ions collisions experiments. Possible observables able to discern between the formation of the 2SC phase or the normal quark phase are finally discussed.