Effects of a strong phase transition on supernova explosions, compact stars and their mergers

TL;DR

This paper explores how strong phase transitions in nuclear matter could significantly impact supernova explosions, neutron star properties, and their mergers, with potential observable signatures in gravitational waves and neutrinos.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for strong phase transitions in the EOS of compact stars and discusses their astrophysical implications and observable signatures.

Findings

Potential gravitational wave signatures of phase transitions

Neutrino emission patterns indicating phase changes

Altered supernova explosion dynamics due to phase transitions

Abstract

We outline a theoretical approach supporting strong phase transitions from normal nuclear matter to the deconfined quark-gluon plasma, in the equation of state (EOS) for compact star matter. Implications of this hypothesis are discussed for astrophysical applications. Special emphasis is devoted to potentially detectable signatures, which can be directly related with the occurrence of a sufficiently strong phase transition. Therefore, simulations of core-collapse supernovae and binary compact star mergers are considered, including the subsequent emission of gravitational waves and, in the case of supernova, in addition the neutrinos play the role of messengers.