Vector interactions inhibit quark-hadron mixed phases in neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper studies how vector interactions affect the surface tension and curvature energy of quark matter drops in neutron stars, revealing significant enhancements that could suppress or alter the hadron-quark mixed phase.

Contribution

It introduces the impact of vector interactions on surface tension and curvature energy in quark matter within the MIT bag model, highlighting their potential to modify neutron star interior phases.

Findings

Vector interactions significantly increase surface tension and curvature energy.

Enhancement factors can reach up to approximately 10.

Implications for the existence and extent of the hadron-quark mixed phase in neutron stars.

Abstract

We investigate the surface tension $\sigma$ and the curvature energy $\gamma$ of quark matter drops in the MIT bag model with vector interactions. Finite size corrections to the density of states are implemented by using the multiple reflection expansion (MRE) formalism. We find that $\sigma$ and $\gamma$ are strongly enhanced by new terms arising from vector interactions. With respect to the noninteracting case they are increased by a large factor, which can be as high as $\sim 10$ when the vector coupling constant $g$ varies within the range used in the literature. This behavior may have major consequences for the hadron-quark mixed phase speculated to exist at neutron star (NS) interiors, which may be totally suppressed or have its extension substantially reduced.