Maximum latent heat of neutron star matter without GR

TL;DR

This paper discusses how the specific latent heat in neutron star matter, independent of observational feedback, can be used to understand phase transitions and test theories of gravity beyond General Relativity.

Contribution

It identifies hadron-model independent bounds on latent heat and highlights their role in diagnosing the neutron star equation of state and testing gravity theories.

Findings

Latent heat characterizes first-order phase transitions in neutron stars.

Model-independent bounds on latent heat are established.

Latent heat can be used to test General Relativity and alternative gravity theories.

Abstract

We show how the specific latent heat is relevant to characterize the first-order phase transitions in neutron stars. Our current knowledge of this dynamical quantity strongly depends on the uncertainty bands of Chiral Perturbation Theory and of pQCD calculations and can be used to diagnose progress on the equation of state. We state what is known to be hadron-model independent and without feedback from neutron star observations and, therefore, they can be used to test General Relativity as well as theories beyond GR, such as modified gravity.