# Hyperons in neutron stars: studies of hyperon spectroscopy and the hyperon–nucleon interaction with the K-long Facility

## TL;DR

The paper discusses how the K-long Facility can study hyperons to better understand neutron stars and the strong force.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the K-long Facility as a new tool for precise hyperon studies and their impact on nuclear physics and cosmology.

## Key findings

- The K-long Facility will produce a clean neutral strange meson beam for hyperon research.
- The facility can address long-standing questions about the strange sector of the strong force.
- Hyperon studies will improve models of neutron stars and big-bang nucleosynthesis.

## Abstract

Elucidating the role of strange baryons (hyperons) in neutron stars requires detailed knowledge of hyperon–nucleon interactions in the light (u,d,s) quark sector. The structure of the hyperons and their excitation spectra also directly impact, and are an input to, models of big-bang nucleosynthesis. The upcoming K-long Facility will provide a much-needed intense and clean neutral strange meson beam, from which hyperons can be produced at rates where hyperon structure, hyperon–nucleon interactions and higher-order interactions can be studied with a new level of accuracy and for hitherto unreachable measurements. The new facility has the potential to address long-standing questions surrounding the strange sector of the strong force and its relevance to the structure of atomic nuclei, neutron stars and the cosmos at large.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘The liminal position of Nuclear Physics: from hadrons to neutron stars’.