Quark matter contribution to the heat capacity of magnetized neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper calculates the heat capacity of the MDCDW phase of dense quark matter in magnetized neutron stars and shows it is consistent with observational lower limits, supporting its viability as a neutron star interior component.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of the heat capacity of the MDCDW phase and compares it with observational constraints, strengthening its candidacy for neutron star cores.

Findings

Heat capacity of MDCDW quark matter exceeds observational lower limits.

MDCDW phase remains a viable neutron star core candidate.

Provides comprehensive review of heat capacity contributions in neutron star matter.

Abstract

In this paper, we find the heat capacity of the magnetic dual chiral density wave (MDCDW) phase of dense quark matter and use it to explore the feasibility of this phase for a neutron star interior. MDCDW is a spatially inhomogeneous phase of quark matter known to be favored at intermediate densities over the chirally symmetric phase and the color-flavor-locked superconducting phase. By comparing our result to the lower limit of the core heat capacity established from observations of transiently accreting neutron stars, we show that the heat capacity of MDCDW quark matter is well above that lower limit and hence cannot be ruled out. This result adds to a wealth of complementary investigations, all of which has served to strengthen the viability of a neutron star interior made of MDCDW quark matter. For completeness, we review the contributions to the heat capacity of the main neutron star ingredients at low, high and intermediate densities, with and without the presence of a magnetic field.