Strange quark matter and proto-strange stars in a baryon density-dependent quark mass model

The properties of strange quark matter and the structures of (proto-)strange stars are studied within the framework of a baryon density-dependent quark mass model, where a new quark mass scaling and self-consistent thermodynamic treatment are adopted. Our results show that the perturbative interaction has a strong impact on the properties of strange quark matter. It is found that the energy per baryon increases with temperature, while the free energy decreases and eventually becomes negative. At fixed temperatures, the pressure at the minimum free energy per baryon is zero, suggesting that the thermodynamic self-consistency is preserved. Additionally, the sound velocity v in quark matter approaches to the extreme relativistic limit (c=p3) as the density increases. By increasing the strengths of confinement parameter D and perturbation parameter C, the tendency for v to approach the extreme relativistic limit at high density is slightly weakened. For (proto-)strange stars, in contrast to the quark mass scalings adopted in previous publications, the new quark mass scaling can accommodate massive proto-strange stars with their maximum mass surpassing twice the solar mass by considering the isentropic stages along the star evolution line, where the entropy per baryon of the star matter was set to be 0.5 and 1 with the lepton fraction Yl=0.4.

Light scalars in neutron star mergers

Due to their unique set of multimessenger signals, neutron star mergers have emerged as a novel environment for studies of new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). As a case study, we consider the simplest extension of the SM scalar sector involving a light CP-even scalar singlet S mixing with the SM Higgs boson. These S particles can be produced abundantly in neutron star mergers via the nucleon bremsstrahlung process. We show that the S particles may either be trapped in or stream freely out of the merger remnant, depending on the S mass, its mixing with the SM Higgs boson, and the temperature and baryon density in the merger. In the free-streaming region, the scalar S will provide an extra channel to cool down the merger remnant, with cooling timescales as small as 𝒪(ms). On the other hand, in the trapped region, the Bose gas of S particles could contribute a larger thermal conductivity than the trapped neutrinos in some parts of the parameter space, thus leading to faster thermal equilibration than expected. Therefore, future observations of the early postmerger phase of a neutron star merger could effectively probe a unique range of the S parameter space, largely complementary to the existing and future laboratory and supernova limits. In view of these results, we hope the merger simulation community will be motivated to implement the effects of light CP-even scalars into their simulations in both the free-streaming and trapped regimes.

Bayesian Estimation of the D(p,γ)3He Thermonuclear Reaction Rate

Big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) is the standard model theory for the production of light nuclides during the early stages of the universe, taking place about 20 minutes after the big bang. Deuterium production, in particular, is highly sensitive to the primordial baryon density and the number of neutrino species, and its abundance serves as a sensitive test for the conditions in the early universe. The comparison of observed deuterium abundances with predicted ones requires reliable knowledge of the relevant thermonuclear reaction rates and their corresponding uncertainties. Recent observations reported the primordial deuterium abundance with percent accuracy, but some theoretical predictions based on BBN are in tension with the measured values because of uncertainties in the cross section of the deuterium-burning reactions. In this work, we analyze the S-factor of the D(p,γ)3He reaction using a hierarchical Bayesian model. We take into account the results of 11 experiments, spanning the period of 1955–2021, more than any other study. We also present results for two different fitting functions, a two-parameter function based on microscopic nuclear theory and a four-parameter polynomial. Our recommended reaction rates have a 2.2% uncertainty at 0.8 GK, which is the temperature most important for deuterium BBN. Differences between our rates and previous results are discussed.

Lattice Constraints on the QCD Chiral Phase Transition at Finite Temperature and Baryon Density

The thermal restoration of chiral symmetry in QCD is known to proceed by an analytic crossover, which is widely expected to turn into a phase transition with a critical endpoint as the baryon density is increased. In the absence of a genuine solution to the sign problem of lattice QCD, simulations at zero and imaginary baryon chemical potential in a parameter space enlarged by a variable number of quark flavours and quark masses constitute a viable way to constrain the location of a possible non-analytic phase transition and its critical endpoint. In this article I review recent progress towards an understanding of the nature of the transition in the massless limit, and its critical temperature at zero density. Combined with increasingly detailed studies of the physical crossover region, current data bound a possible critical point to μB ≳ 3T.

Model calculations of φ-meson production in small collision systems

Ultrarelativistic ion collisions provide the unique possibility to study the quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter formed in the universe at the very first moments after the Big Bang. The minimal temperature and baryon density for the quark-gluon plasma formation requires scrutiny, since the signatures of the quark-gluon plasma formation are observed in large systems (such as Au+Au) at s N N = 200 GeV , whereas collective effects in p+p collisions are not revealed. The φ-meson production measurements are considered to be a convenient tool to investigate the collision dynamics, as it is sensitive to the quark-gluon plasma effects. To interpret the nuclear modification effects and to study the process of the possible QGP formation the comparison with different theoretical models predictions is needed. This paper presents the comparison of the obtained experimental results on φ-meson production in small collision systems (p+Al, p+Au) at s N N = 200 GeV to default and string melting versions of the AMPT model and PYTHIA model predictions. The results indicate that the minimal conditions (temperature and baryon density) for a QGP formation may lie in between in p+Al and p+Au collisions.

$$A_0$$-condensation in quark-gluon plasma with finite baryon density

In the present paper, we return to the problem of spontaneous generation of the $$A_0$$ A 0 -background field in QCD at finite temperature and a quark chemical potential, $$\mu $$ μ . On the lattice, this problem was studied by different approaches where an analytic continuation to the imaginary potential $$i \mu $$ i μ has been used. Here we consider both, real and imaginary chemical potential, analytically within the two-loop gauge-fixing independent effective potential $$W_{eff.}$$ W e f f . . We realize the gauge independence in to ways: (1) on the base of Nielsen’s identity and (2) expressing the potential in terms of Polyakov’s loop. Firstly we reproduce the known expressions in terms of Bernoulli’s polynomials for the gluons and quarks. Then, we calculate the $$\mu $$ μ -dependence, either for small $$\mu $$ μ as expansion or numerically for finite $$\mu $$ μ , real and imaginary. One result is that the chemical potential only weakly changes the values of the condensate fields, but quite strongly deepens the minima of the effective potential. We investigate the dependence of Polyakov’s loop in the minimum of the effective potential, thermodynamic pressure and Debye’s mass on the chemical potential. Comparisons with other results are given.

Transport Model Approach to Λ and Λ¯ Polarization in Heavy-Ion Collisions

This paper investigates the symmetry breaking between the polarizations of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons in relativistic collisions of heavy ions at intermediate and low energies. The microscopic transport model UrQMD is employed to study the thermal vorticity of hot and dense nuclear matter formed in non-central Au + Au collisions at center-of-mass energies 7.7≤sNN≤62.4 GeV. The whole volume of an expanding fireball is subdivided into small cubic cells. Then, we trace the final Λ and Λ¯ hyperons back to their last interaction point within a certain cell. Extracting the bulk parameters, such as energy density, net baryon density, and net strangeness of the hot and dense medium in the cell, one can obtain the cell temperature and the chemical potentials at the time of the hyperon emission. To do this, the extracted characteristics have to be fitted to the statistical model (SM) of ideal hadron gas. After that, the vorticity of nuclear matter and polarization of both hyperons are calculated. We found that the polarization of both Λ and Λ¯ increases with decreasing energy of heavy-ion collisions. The stronger polarization of Λ¯ is explained by (i) the slightly different freeze-out conditions of both hyperons and (ii) the different space–time distributions of Λ and Λ¯.