Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars

Bibliographic Details
Title: Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars
Authors: Zurab Berezhiani, Riccardo Biondi, Massimo Mannarelli, Francesco Tonelli
Source: European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields, Vol 81, Iss 11, Pp 1-23 (2021)
Publisher Information: SpringerOpen, 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Astrophysics
LCC:Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity
Subject Terms: Astrophysics, QB460-466, Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity, QC770-798
More Details: Abstract The oscillation of neutron n into mirror neutron $$n'$$ n ′ , its mass degenerate partner from dark mirror sector, can gradually transform the neutron stars into the mixed stars consisting in part of mirror dark matter. In quark stars $$n-n'$$ n - n ′ transitions are suppressed. We study the structure of mixed stars and derive the mass-radius scaling relations between the configurations of purely neutron star and maximally mixed star (MMS) containing equal amounts of ordinary and mirror components. In particular, we show that the MMS masses can be at most $$M^{\mathrm{max}}_{NS}/\sqrt{2}$$ M NS max / 2 , where $$M^\mathrm{max}_{NS}$$ M NS max is a maximum mass of a pure neutron star allowed by a given equation of state. We evaluate $$n-n'$$ n - n ′ transition rate in neutron stars, and show that various astrophysical limits on pulsar properties exclude the transition times in a wide range $$10^{5}\,\text {year}< \tau _\varepsilon < 10^{15}\,\text {year}$$ 10 5 year < τ ε < 10 15 year . For short transition times, $$\tau _\varepsilon < 10^5$$ τ ε < 10 5 year, the different mixed stars of the same mass can have different radii, depending on their age, which possibility can be tested by the NICER measurements. We also discuss subtleties related with the possible existence of mixed quark stars, and possible implications for the gravitational waves from the neutron star mergers and associated electromagnetic signals.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1434-6044
1434-6052
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1434-6044; https://doaj.org/toc/1434-6052
DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/2b8bbe9e261b41fcb36ac06f39a0a888
Accession Number: edsdoj.2b8bbe9e261b41fcb36ac06f39a0a888
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:14346044
14346052
DOI:10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1
Published in:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Language:English