Dynamical phase transition in neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper models the rapid dynamical phase transition from nuclear to quark matter in neutron stars, revealing shock velocities near light speed and microsecond timescales, with implications for gravitational wave and gamma-ray signals.

Contribution

It introduces a relativistic hydrodynamic model showing that neutron star phase transitions can occur within microseconds, much faster than previously thought.

Findings

Shock velocity peaks near the speed of light.

Phase transition occurs in tens of microseconds.

Potential for short-lived gravitational wave and gamma-ray signals.

Abstract

In this work, we have studied the dynamical evolution of the shock front in a neutron star. The shock wave is expected to possess enough strength to ignite the nuclear matter thereby converting it to quark matter. The conversion of nuclear to quark matter is assumed to take place at the shock discontinuity. The density and pressure discontinuity is studied both spatially and temporally as it starts near the center of the star and moves towards the surface. Polytropic equations of state which mimics real original nuclear matter and quark matter equations of state are used to study such dynamical phase transition. Solving relativistic hydrodynamic equations for a spherically symmetric star we have studied the phase transition assuming a considerable density discontinuity near the center. We find that as the shock wave propagates outwards, its intensity decreases with time, however the shock velocity peaks up and reaches a value close to that of light. Such fast shock velocity indicates rapid phase transition in neutron star taking place on a timescale of some tens of microseconds. Such a result is quite an interesting one, and it differs from previous calculations that the phase transition in neutron stars takes at least some tens of milliseconds. Rapid phase transition can have significant observational significance because such fast phase transition would imply quite strong gravitational wave signals but very short lived. Such short-lived gravitational wave signals would be accompanied with short-lived gamma-ray bursts and neutrino signals originating from the neutrino and gamma-ray generation from the phase transition of nuclear matter to quark matter.