Gravitational wave signatures of phase transition from hadronic to quark matter in isolated neutron stars and binaries

TL;DR

This paper explores how gravitational wave signals from neutron stars can reveal phase transitions from hadronic to quark matter, providing insights into dense matter physics at low temperatures and finite densities.

Contribution

It analyzes potential gravitational wave signatures of phase transitions in neutron stars, highlighting their detectability and uniqueness across different astrophysical scenarios.

Findings

Gravitational waves can carry signatures of phase transitions in neutron star matter.

Different signatures are expected for isolated stars versus binary systems.

Detector sensitivities are discussed for observing these phase transition signals.

Abstract

The fundamental constituent of matter at high temperature and density has intrigued physicists for quite some time. Recent results from heavy-ion colliders have enriched the Quantum Chromodynamics phase diagram at high temperatures and low baryon density. However, the phase at low temperatures and finite (mostly intermediate) baryon density remain unexplored. Theoretical Quantum Chromodynamics calculation predicts phase transition from hadronic matter to quark matter at such densities. Presently, the best laboratories available to probe such densities lie at the core of neutron stars. Recent results of how such phase transition signatures can be probed using gravitational waves both in isolated neutron stars and neutron star in binaries. The isolated neutron star would probe the very low-temperature regime, whereas neutron stars in binaries would probe finite baryon density in the intermediate temperature regime. We would also discuss whether the gravitational wave signature of such phase transition is unique and the detector specification needed to detect such signals.