Conditions for the existence of stable strange quark matter

TL;DR

This paper explores the conditions under which stable strange quark matter could exist, emphasizing the importance of confinement in chiral models and potential astrophysical signatures of strange quark stars.

Contribution

It analyzes the role of confinement in three chiral models to determine conditions for stable strange quark matter and discusses observable signatures of strange quark stars.

Findings

Confinement is crucial for Bodmer-Witten hypothesis validity.

Certain mass and radius measurements could indicate strange quark stars.

Stability conditions depend on specific chiral model parameters.

Abstract

We discuss the possible existence of absolutely stable strange quark matter within three different types of chiral models. We will show that confinement plays a crucial role in determining the conditions for the Bodmer-Witten hypothesis to hold true. We discuss also which are the phenomenological signatures, related to measurements of masses and radii of compact stars, which would prove the existence of strange quark stars.