# Dark matter and bubble nucleation in old neutron stars

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how self-annihilating dark matter in old neutron stars can trigger quark matter droplet formation, potentially affecting star stability and observable phenomena.

## Contribution

It introduces a model linking dark matter annihilation to quark droplet nucleation in neutron star cores, providing new insights into star evolution and dark matter effects.

## Key findings

- Nucleation time depends on dark matter mass
- Dark matter annihilation can facilitate quark droplet formation
- Potential observational signatures discussed

## Abstract

We study the probability for nucleation of quark matter droplets in the dense cold cores of old neutron stars induced by the presence of a self-annihilating dark matter component, $\chi$. Using a parameterized form of the equation of state for hadronic and quark phases of ordinary matter, we explore the thermodynamic conditions under which droplet formation is facilitated by the energy injection from $\chi$ self-annihilations. We obtain the droplet nucleation time as a function of the dark matter candidate mass, $m_\chi$. We discuss further observational consequences.