arXiv subjects

Prashanth Jaikumar

Publications and source records attributed to Prashanth Jaikumar.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Chiral and Diquark condensates at large magnetic field in two-flavor superconducting quark matter

We study the effect of a large magnetic field on the chiral and diquark condensates in a regime of moderately dense quark matter. Our focus is on the inter-dependence of the two condensates through non-perturbative quark mass and strong coupling effects, which we address in a 2-flavor Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. For magnetic fields $eB\lesssim 0.01$ GeV$^2$ (corresponding to $B\lesssim 10^{18}$G), our results agree qualitatively with the zero-field study of Huang et al., who found a mixed broken phase region where the chiral and superconducting gap are both non-zero. For $eB\gtrsim 0.01$ GeV$^2$ and moderate diquark-to-scalar coupling ratio $G_D/G_S$, we find that the chiral and superconducting transitions become weaker but with little change in either transition density. For large $G_D/G_S$ however, such a large magnetic field disrupts the mixed broken phase region and changes a smooth crossover found in the zero-field case to a first-order transition at neutron star interior densities.

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arXiv2009

Predictions for signatures of the quark-nova in superluminous supernovae

[Abridged] Superluminous Supernovae (SN2006gy, SN2005gj, SN2005ap, SN2008fz, SN2003ma) have been a challenge to explain by standard models. We present an alternative scenario involving a quark-nova (QN), an explosive transition of the newly born neutron star to a quark star in which a second explosion (delayed) occurs inside the already expanding ejecta of a normal SN. The reheated SN ejecta can radiate at higher levels for longer periods of time primarily due to reduced adiabatic expansion losses, unlike the standard SN case. Our model is successfully applied to SN2006gy, SN2005gj, SN2005ap, SN2008fz, SN2003ma with encouraging fits to the lightcurves. There are four predictions in our model: (i) superluminous SNe optical lightcurves should show a double-hump with the SN hump at weaker magnitudes occurring days to weeks before the QN; (ii) Two shock breakouts should be observed vis-a-vis one for a normal SN. Depending on the time delay, this would manifest as two distinct spikes in the X-ray region or a broadening of the first spike for extremely short delays; (iii) The QN deposits heavy elements of mass number A> 130 at the base of the preceeding SN ejecta. These QN r-processed elements should be visible in the late spectrum (few days-weeks in case of strong ejecta mixing) of the superluminous SN; (iv) The QN yield will also contain lighter elements (Hydrogen and Helium). We expect the late spectra to include H_alpha emission lines that should be distinct in their velocity signature from standard H_alpha emission.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2008

Viscous damping of r-mode oscillations in compact stars with quark matter

We determine characteristic timescales for the viscous damping of r-mode oscillations in rapidly rotating compact stars that contain quark matter. We present results for the color-flavor-locked (CFL) phase of dense quark matter, in which the up, down and strange quarks are gapped, as well as the normal (ungapped) quark phase. While the ungapped quark phase supports a temperature window between 10^8 K and 5x10^9 K where the r-mode is damped even for rapid rotation, the r-mode in a rapidly rotating pure CFL star is not damped in the temperature range 10^10 K - 10^11 K. Rotating hybrid stars with quark matter cores display an instability window whose width is determined by the amount of quark matter present, and they can have large spin frequencies outside this window. Except at high temperatures T > 10^10 K, the presence of a quark phase allows for larger critical frequencies and smaller spin-periods compared to rotating neutron stars. If low-mass X-ray binaries contain a large amount of ungapped or CFL quark matter, then our estimates of the r-mode instability suggest that there should be a population of rapidly rotating binaries at frequencies greater than 1000 Hz which have not yet been observed.

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arXiv2008

High-density Skyrmion matter and Neutron Stars

We examine neutron star properties based on a model of dense matter composed of B=1 skyrmions immersed in a mesonic mean field background. The model realizes spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking non-linearly and incorporates scale-breaking of QCD through a dilaton VEV that also affects the mean fields. Quartic self-interactions among the vector mesons are introduced on grounds of naturalness in the corresponding effective field theory. Within a plausible range of the quartic couplings, the model generates neutron star masses and radii that are consistent with a preponderance of observational constraints, including recent ones that point to the existence of relatively massive neutron stars with mass M 1.7 Msun and radius R (12-14) km. If the existence of neutron stars with such dimensions is confirmed, matter at supra-nuclear density is stiffer than extrapolations of most microscopic models suggest.

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arXiv2007

Muon production in low-energy electron-nucleon and electron-nucleus scattering

Recently, muon production in electron-proton scattering has been suggested as a possible candidate reaction for the identification of lepton-flavor violation due to physics beyond the Standard Model. Here we point out that the Standard-Model processes $e^- p \to μ^- p \barν_μν_e$ and $e^- p \to e^- n μ^+ ν_μ$ can cloud potential beyond-the-Standard-Model signals in electron-proton collisions. We find that Standard-Model $e p \to μX$ cross sections exceed those from lepton-flavor-violating operators by several orders of magnitude. We also discuss the possibility of using a nuclear target to enhance the $e p \to μX$ signal.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Nucleosynthesis in neutron-rich ejecta from quark-novae

We explore heavy-element nucleosynthesis by rapid neutron capture (r-process) in the decompressing ejecta from the surface of a neutron star. The decompression is triggered by a violent phase transition to strange quark matter (quark-nova scenario). The presence of neutron-rich large Z nuclei (40,95) < (Z,A) < (70,177), the large neutron-to-seed ratio, and the low electron fraction Ye ~ 0.03 in the decompressing ejecta present favorable conditions for the r-process. We perform network calculations that are adapted to the quark-nova conditions, and which mimic usual (n-gamma) equilibrium r-process calculations during the initially cold decompression phase. They match to dynamical r-process calculations at densities below neutron drip (4.10^11 g cm-3). We present results for the final element abundance distribution with and without heating from nuclear reactions, and compare to the solar abundance pattern of r-process elements. We highlight the distinguishing features of quark-novae by contrasting it with conventional nucleosynthetic sites such as type II supernovae and neutron star mergers, especially in the context of heavy-element compositions of extremely metal-deficient stars.

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arXiv2007

Quark Stars: Features and Findings

Under extreme conditions of temperature and/or density, quarks and gluons are expected to undergo a deconfinement phase transition. While this is an ephemeral phenomenon at the ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collider (BNL-RHIC), quark matter may exist naturally in the dense interior of neutron stars. Herein, we present an appraisal of the possible phase structure of dense quark matter inside neutron stars, and the likelihood of its existence given the current status of neutron star observations. We conclude that quark matter inside neutron stars cannot be dismissed as a possibility, although recent observational evidence rules out most soft equations of state.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Quark Matter in Neutron Stars: An apercu

The existence of deconfined quark matter in the superdense interior of neutron stars is a key question that has drawn considerable attention over the past few decades. Quark matter can comprise an arbitrary fraction of the star, from 0 for a pure neutron star to 1 for a pure quark star, depending on the equation of state of matter at high density. From an astrophysical viewpoint, these two extreme cases are generally expected to manifest different observational signatures. An intermediate fraction implies a hybrid star, where the interior consists of mixed or homogeneous phases of quark and nuclear matter, depending on surface and Coulomb energy costs, as well as other finite size and screening effects. In this brief review article, we discuss what we can deduce about quark matter in neutron stars in light of recent exciting developments in neutron star observations. We state the theoretical ideas underlying the equation of state of dense quark matter, including color superconducting quark matter. We also highlight recent advances stemming from re-examination of an old paradigm for the surface structure of quark stars and discuss possible evolutionary scenarios from neutron stars to quark stars, with emphasis on astrophysical observations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Surface structure of Quark stars with magnetic fields

We investigate the impact of magnetic fields on the electron distribution in the electrosphere of quark stars. For moderately strong magnetic fields $B\sim 10^{13}$G, quantization effects are generally weak due to the large number density of electrons at surface, but can nevertheless affect the spectral features of quark stars. We outline the main observational characteristics of quark stars as determined by their surface emission, and briefly discuss their formation in explosive events termed Quark-Novae, which may be connected to the $r$-process.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Quark deconfinement in neutron star cores: The effects of spin-down

We study the role of spin-down in driving quark deconfinement in the high density core of isolated neutron stars. Assuming spin-down to be solely due to magnetic braking, we obtain typical timescales to quark deconfinement for neutron stars that are born with Keplerian frequencies. Employing different equations of state (EOS), we determine the minimum and maximum neutron star masses that will allow for deconfinement via spin-down only. We find that the time to reach deconfinement is strongly dependent on the magnetic field and that this time is least for EOS that support the largest minimum mass at zero spin, unless rotational effects on stellar structure are large. For a fiducial critical density of $5ρ_0$ for the transition to the quark phase ($ρ_0=2.5\times10^{14}$g/cm$^3$ is the saturation density of nuclear matter), we find that neutron stars lighter than $1.5M_{\odot}$ cannot reach a deconfined phase. Depending on the EOS, neutron stars of more than $1.5M_{\odot}$ can enter a quark phase only if they are spinning faster than about 3 milliseconds as observed now, whereas larger spin periods imply that they are either already quark stars or will never become one.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Direct Urca neutrino rate in colour superconducting quark matter

If deconfined quark matter exists inside compact stars, the primary cooling mechanism is neutrino radiation via the direct Urca processes d->u+e+antinu_e and u+e->d+nu_e. Below a critical temperature, T_c, quark matter forms a colour superconductor, one possible manifestation of which is a condensate of quark Cooper pairs in an electric-charge neutralising background of electrons. We compute the neutrino emission rate from such a phase, including charged pair-breaking and recombination effects, and find that on a material temperature domain below T_c the pairing-induced suppression of the neutrino emission rate is not uniformly exponential. If gapless modes are present in the condensed phase, the emissivity at low temperatures is moderately enhanced above that of completely unpaired matter. The importance of charged current pair-breaking processes for neutrino emission both in the fully gapped and partially gapped regimes is emphasised.

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arXiv2005

Skyrmion Stars: Astrophysical motivations and implications

We study mass-radius relations for compact stars employing an equation of state (EOS) of dense matter based on a Skyrme fluid. The zero-temperature mean-field model is based on mesonic excitations, incorporates the scale breaking of QCD, and accommodates baryons (nucleons) which arise as a solitonic configuration of mesonic fields. Stable configurations are obtained for central densities $ρ_c/ρ_n\leq 5.0$ where $ρ_n=2.575\times 10^{14}$ g/cc is the nuclear saturation density. These {\it Skyrmion Stars} are mostly fluid, with a crust which we describe by the EOS of Baym, Pethick and Sutherland. Their masses and radii are in the range $0.4 \le M/M_{\odot} \le 3.6$ and $13 {\rm km} \le R \le 23 {\rm km}$, respectively. The minimum spin period is computed to be between $0.7 {\rm ms}\le P \le 2.1 {\rm ms}$. They appear to have a mass-radius curve quite different from either neutron or quark stars, and provide a suitable description of the heavier mass neutron stars discovered recently due to the inherently stiff EOS. Within the same model, we compute the dominant neutrino emissivity in neutron-rich $β$-equilibrated matter, and determine the cooling behaviour of Skyrmion stars.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Bremsstrahlung neutrinos from electron-electron scattering in a relativistic degenerate electron plasma

We present a calculation of neutrino pair bremsstrahlung due to electron-electron scattering in a relativistic degenerate plasma of electrons. Proper treatment of the in-medium photon propagator, i.e., inclusion of Debye screening of the longitudinal part and Landau damping of the transverse part, leads to a neutrino emissivity which is several orders of magnitude larger than when Debye screening is imposed for the tranverse part. Our results show that this in-medium process can compete with other sources of neutrino radiation and can, in some cases, even be the dominant neutrino emission mechanism. We also discuss the natural extension to quark-quark bremsstrahlung in gapped and ungapped quark matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Strange Star Surface: A Crust with Nuggets

We reexamine the surface composition of strange stars. Strange quark stars are hypothetical compact stars which could exist if strange quark matter was absolutely stable. It is widely accepted that they are characterized by an enormous density gradient ($~10^{26}$ g/cm$^4$) and large electric fields at surface. By investigating the possibility of realizing a heterogeneous crust, comprised of nuggets of strange quark matter embedded in an uniform electron background, we find that the strange star surface has a much reduced density gradient and negligible electric field. We comment on how our findings will impact various proposed observable signatures for strange stars.

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arXiv2004

Neutrino Emission and Mass Ejection in Quark Novae

We explore the role of neutrinos in a Quark Nova explosion. We study production of neutrinos during this event, their propagation and their interactions with the surrounding quark matter and neutron-rich envelope. We address relevant physical issues such as the timescale for the initial core collapse, the total energy emitted in neutrinos and their effect on the low density matter surrounding the core. We find that it is feasible that the neutrino burst can lead to significant mass ejection of the nuclear envelope.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Cosmology from Moduli Dynamics

We investigate moduli field dynamics in supergravity/M-theory like set ups where we turn on fluxes along some or all of the extra dimensions. As has been argued in the context of string theory, we observe that the fluxes tend to stabilize the squashing (or shape) modes. Generically we find that at late times the shape is frozen while the radion evolves as a quintessence field. At earlier times we have a phase of radiation domination where both the volume and the shape moduli are slowly evolving. However, depending on the initial conditions and the parameters of the theory, like the value of the fluxes, curvature of the internal manifold and so on, the dynamics of the internal manifold can be richer with interesting cosmological consequences, including inflation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Distinguishing Bare Quark Stars from Neutron Stars

Observations to date cannot distinguish neutron stars from self-bound bare quark stars on the basis of their gross physical properties such as their masses and radii alone. However, their surface luminosity and spectral characteristics can be significantly different. Unlike a normal neutron star, a bare quark star can emit photons from its surface at super-Eddington luminosities for an extended period of time. We present a calculation of the photon bremsstrahlung rate from the bare quark star's surface, and indicate improvements that are required for a complete characterization of the spectrum. The observation of this distinctive photon spectrum would constitute an unmistakable signature of a strange quark star and shed light on color superconductivity at stellar densities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Quintessence and Inflation from Symmetry Breaking Transition of the Internal Manifold

We show that even in the simple framework of pure Kaluza-Klein gravity the shape moduli can generate potentials supporting inflation and/or quintessence. Using the shape moduli as the inflaton or quintessence-field has the additional benefit of being able to explain symmetry breaking in a natural geometric way. A numerical analysis suggests that in these models it may be possible to obtain sufficient e-foldings during inflation as well as a small cosmological constant at the current epoch (without fine tuning), while preserving the constraint coming from the fine structure constant.

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