Multifragmentation model for the production of astrophysical strangelets

TL;DR

This paper models the mass distribution of strangelets produced in binary star mergers using a statistical disassembly approach, considering finite strange quark mass and Coulomb effects, to estimate their galactic flux for detection efforts.

Contribution

It introduces a multifragmentation model that accounts for finite strange quark mass and Coulomb corrections to predict strangelet distributions from stellar mergers.

Findings

Predicted size distribution of strangelets in binary mergers.

Estimated galactic flux of strangelets for detection.

Inclusion of Coulomb corrections improves distribution accuracy.

Abstract

Determination of baryon number (or mass) distribution of the strangelets, that may fragment out of the warm and excited strange quark matter ejected in the merger of strange stars in compact binary stellar systems in the Galaxy, is attempted here by using a statistical disassembly model. Finite mass of strange quarks is taken into account in the analysis. Resulting charges of the strangelets and the corresponding Coulomb corrections are included to get a plausible size distribution of those strangelets as they are produced in binary stellar mergers thus getting injected in the Galaxy. From this mass distribution of strangelets at their source, an approximate order of magnitude estimate for their possible flux in solar neighborhood is attempted by using a simple diffusion model for their propagation in the Galaxy. Such theoretical estimate is important in view of the ongoing efforts to detect galactic strangelets by recent satellite-borne experiments.