Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars
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. W...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2021-11-01
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| Series: | European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1 |
| _version_ | 1818992123112849408 |
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| author | Zurab Berezhiani Riccardo Biondi Massimo Mannarelli Francesco Tonelli |
| author_facet | Zurab Berezhiani Riccardo Biondi Massimo Mannarelli Francesco Tonelli |
| author_sort | Zurab Berezhiani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:21:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b8bbe9e261b41fcb36ac06f39a0a888 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1434-6044 1434-6052 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:21:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b8bbe9e261b41fcb36ac06f39a0a8882022-12-21T19:27:34ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60441434-60522021-11-01811112310.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron starsZurab Berezhiani0Riccardo Biondi1Massimo Mannarelli2Francesco Tonelli3Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di L’AquilaINFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran SassoINFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran SassoConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR-SPINAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1 |
| spellingShingle | Zurab Berezhiani Riccardo Biondi Massimo Mannarelli Francesco Tonelli Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| title | Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| title_full | Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| title_fullStr | Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| title_short | Neutron-mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| title_sort | neutron mirror neutron mixing and neutron stars |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09806-1 |
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