Pasta phases within the QMC model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the existence of nuclear pasta phases in low-density regions of nuclear and neutron star matter using the quark-meson coupling model, highlighting their impact on neutron star properties.

Contribution

It introduces the study of pasta phases within the QMC model, considering surface energy effects and their influence on neutron star equations of state.

Findings

Pasta phases exist under certain surface energy conditions.

Nuclear pasta affects neutron star properties.

EOS with pasta phases will aid supernova simulations.

Abstract

In this work the low density regions of nuclear and neutron star matter are studied. The search for the existence of pasta phases in this region is performed within the context of the quark-meson coupling (QMC) model, which incorporates quark degrees of freedom. Fixed proton fractions are considered, as well as nuclear matter in beta equilibrium at zero temperature. We discuss the recent attempts to better understand the surface energy in the coexistence phases regime and we present results that show the existence of the pasta phases subject to some choices of the surface energy coefficient. We also analyze the influence of the nuclear pasta on some neutron star properties. The equation of state containing the pasta phase will be part of a complete grid for future use in supernova simulations.