Search for semiclassical-gravity effects in relativistic stars

TL;DR

This paper explores how semiclassical gravity might affect neutronization in neutron stars, potentially influencing cooling processes by altering neutrino emission when energy conditions are near the neutron mass.

Contribution

It introduces a semiclassical approach to study gravity's influence on neutronization, considering quantum leptonic fields on a classical spacetime background.

Findings

Gravity may influence neutronization when energy is near neutron mass

Neutrino wavelengths could match space curvature radius under certain conditions

Potential impact on neutron star cooling mechanisms

Abstract

We discuss the possible influence of gravity in the neutronization process, $p^+ e^- \to n \nu_e$, which is particularly important as a cooling mechanism of neutron stars. Our approach is semiclassical in the sense that leptonic fields are quantized on a classical background spacetime, while neutrons and protons are treated as excited and unexcited nucleon states, respectively. We expect gravity to have some influence wherever the energy content carried by the in-state is barely above the neutron mass. In this case the emitted neutrinos would be soft enough to have a wavelength of the same order as the space curvature radius.