Phase transition in compact stars: nucleation mechanism and $\gamma$-ray bursts revisited

TL;DR

This paper revisits the nucleation process in compact stars using the Lifshitz-Kagan theory, identifying phase transition conditions and linking nucleation to gamma-ray bursts, with results constrained by observational data.

Contribution

It applies tested models to nucleation theory in compact stars, clarifying phase transition conditions and their potential role in gamma-ray bursts, while addressing model dependence.

Findings

Critical overpressure for phase transition identified

Nucleation times consistent with observed gamma-ray bursts

Model dependence persists but tunneling conditions are robust

Abstract

We have revisited the nucleation process based on the Lifshitz-Kagan theory, which is the underlying mechanism of conversion of a pulsar constituted of hadronic matter to a quark star. We have selected appropriate models that have been tested against experimental and observational constraints to restrict the model arbitrariness present in previous investigations. The phase transition pressures and chemical potentials have been identified and afterwards, the tunneling probabilities and the nucleation time were computed. The critical pressures for which the half life of the metastable hadronic phase is one year were obtained. Even with the restrictions imposed to the selection of models, the results remained model dependent, but we found that the tunneling that makes possible the appearance of stable matter requires an overpressure that is practically independent of the quark matter bag constant. Finally, we have confirmed that the nucleation process can be one of the causes of gamma-ray bursts.