A compact object was observed with a mass $2.50-2.67~M_\odot$ by LIGO Scientific and Virgo collaborations (LVC) in GW190814, which provides a great challenge to the investigations into the supranuclear matter. To study this object, properties of neutron star are systematically calculated within the latest density-dependent relativistic mean-field (DDRMF) parameterizations, which are determined by the ground state properties of spherical nuclei. The maximum masses of neutron star calculated by DD-MEX and DD-LZ1 sets can be around $2.55~M_\odot$ with quite stiff equations of state generated by their strong repulsive contributions from vector potentials at high densities. Their maximum speeds of sound $c_s/c$ are smaller than $\sqrt{0.8}$ at the center of neutron star and the dimensionless tidal deformabilities at $1.4~M_\odot$ are less than $800$. Furthermore, the radii of $1.4 ~M_\odot$ also satisfy the constraint from the observation of mass-radius simultaneous measurements (NICER). Therefore, we conclude that one cannot exclude the possibility of the secondary object in GW190814 as a neutron star composed of hadron matter from DDRMF models.
The secondary component of GW190814 with a mass of 2.50-2.67 $M_{\odot}$ may be the lightest black hole or the heaviest neutron star ever observed in a binary compact object system. To explore the possible equation of state (EOS), which can support such massive neutron star, we apply the relativistic mean-field model with a density-dependent isovector coupling constant to describe the neutron-star matter. The acceptable EOS should satisfy some constraints: the EOS model can provide a satisfactory description of the nuclei; the maximum mass $M_\textrm{TOV}$ is above 2.6 $M_{\odot}$; the tidal d…
The recent detection of GW190814 featured the merger of a binary with a primary having a mass of $\sim 23\,M_{\odot}$ and a secondary with a mass of $\sim 2.6\,M_{\odot}$. While the primary was most likely a black hole, the secondary could be interpreted as either the lightest black hole or the most massive neutron star ever observed, but also as the indication of a novel class of exotic compact objects. We here argue that the secondary in GW190814 needs not be an ab-initio black hole nor an exotic object; rather, based on our current understanding of the nuclear-matter equation of state, it c…
The possibility of meson condensation in stars and in heavy-ion collisions has been discussed in the past. Here, we study whether rho meson condensation ($ρ^{-}$) can occur in very dense matter and determine the effect of strong magnetic fields on this condensation. We find that rho meson condensates can appear in the core of the neutron star assuming a rho mass which is reduced due to in-medium effects. We find that the magnetic field has a non-negligible effect in triggering condensation.
In the present work the conjunction of chiral SU(3) model with QCD sum rules is employed to explore the possibility of $ρ$ meson condensation in neutron stars. The quark and gluon condensates in terms of which the in-medium masses of $ρ$ mesons can be expressed are calculated using the chiral SU(3) model in the charge neutral matter which is relevant for neutron stars. It is observed that condition of $ρ$ meson condensation is satisfied for the density of about 7$ρ_{0}$, where $ρ_{0}$ is the nuclear saturation density. In the end, a brief qualitative discussion of the magnetic field is also in…
We use particle-transport simulations to show that secondary pions play a crucial role for the development of the hadronic cascade and therefore for the production of neutrons and photons from thick spallation targets. In particular, for the n_TOF lead spallation target, irradiated with 20 GeV/c protons, neutral pions are involved in the production of ~90% of the high-energy photons; charged pions participate in ~40% of the integral neutron yield. Nevertheless, photon and neutron yields are shown to be relatively insensitive to large changes of the average pion multiplicity in the individual s…
We examine possibilities of pion condensation with zero momentum (s-wave condensation) in neutron stars by using the pion-nucleus optical potential U and the relativistic mean field (RMF) models. We use low-density phenomenological optical potentials parameterized to fit deeply bound pionic atoms or pion-nucleus elastic scatterings. Proton fraction (Y_p) and electron chemical potential (mu_e) in neutron star matter are evaluated in RMF models. We find that the s-wave pion condensation hardly takes place in neutron stars and especially has no chance if hyperons appear in neutron star matter and…
Whether fast cooling processes occur or not is crucial for the thermal evolution of neutron stars. In particular, the threshold of the direct Urca process, which is one of the fast cooling processes, is determined by the interior proton fraction $Y_p$, or the nuclear symmetry energy. Since recent observations indicate the small radius of neutron stars, a low value is preferred for the symmetry energy. In this study, simulations of neutron star cooling are performed adopting three models for equation of state (EoS): Togashi, Shen, and LS220 EoSs. The Togashi EoS has been recently constructed wi…
The possibility to produce superheavy elements in the course of low-yield nuclear explosions is analyzed within a simple kinetic model which includes neutron capture, gamma-emission, fission and particle evaporation from excited nuclei. We have calculated average numbers of absorbed neutrons as well as mass distributions of U and Cm nuclei exposed to an impulsive neutron flux, as functions of its duration. It is demonstrated that detectable amounts of heavy nuclei absorbing from 20 to 60 neutrons may be produced in this process. According to an optimistic scenario, after multiple beta-decay su…
The X-ray spectra of the neutron stars located in the centers of supernova remnants Cas A and HESS J1731-347 are well fit with carbon atmosphere models. These fits yield plausible neutron star sizes for the known or estimated distances to these supernova remnants. The evidence in favor of the presence of a pure carbon envelope at the neutron star surface is rather indirect and is based on the assumption that the emission is generated uniformly by the entire stellar surface. Although this assumption is supported by the absence of pulsations, the observational upper limit on the pulsed fraction …
We consider the theoretical possibility to generate a narrow resonance in the four neutron system as suggested by a recent experimental result. To that end, a phenomenological $T=3/2$ three neutron force is introduced, in addition to a realistic $NN$ interaction. We inquire what should be the strength of the $3n$ force in order to generate such a resonance. The reliability of the three-neutron force in the $T=3/2$ channel is exmined, by analyzing its consistency with the low-lying $T=1$ states of $^4$H, $^4$He and $^4$Li and the $^3{\rm H} + n$ scattering. The {\it ab initio} solution of the $…
The observation of gravitational waves from an asymmetric binary opens the possibility for heavy neutron stars, but these pose challenges to models of the neutron star equation of state. We construct heavy neutron stars by introducing non-trivial structure in the speed of sound sourced by deconfined QCD matter, which cannot be well recovered by spectral representations. Their moment of inertia, Love number and quadrupole moment are very small, so a tenfold increase in sensitivity may be needed to test this possibility with gravitational waves, which is feasible with third generation detectors.
Neutron Star Equation of State and the Possibility of Complex Self-Energy in Landau Theory of Fermi Liquid in Presence of Strong Quantizing Magnetic Field
We study ferromagnetism at high density of neutrons in the QCD hadron phase, by using the simplest chiral effective model incorporating magnetic fields and the chiral anomaly. Under the assumption of spatial homogeneity, we calculate the energy density as a function of neutron density, with a magnetization and a neutral pion condensation a la Dautry and Neyman. We find that at a high density the energy of the ferromagnetic order is lower than that of the ordinary neutron matter, and the reduction effect is enhanced by the anomaly. Compared to the inhomogeneous phase with the alternating layer …
We present an equation of state (EoS) for neutron stars using the relativistic mean-field model with isoscalar- and isovector-meson mixing. Taking into account the results of the neutron skin thickness, $R_{\rm skin}$, of $^{208}$Pb reported by the PREX collaboration, the dimensionless tidal deformability of a canonical neutron star observed from GW170817, and a $2.6$ $M_{\odot}$ compact star implied by the secondary component of GW190814, a new effective interaction is constructed so as to reproduce the saturation condition of nuclear matter and the ground-state properties of finite, closed-s…
The recent discovery by LIGO/Virgo of a merging binary having a $\sim 23 M_\odot$ black hole and a $\sim 2.6 M_\odot$ compact companion has triggered a debate regarding the nature of the secondary, which falls into the so-called mass gap. Here we explore some consequences of the assumption that the secondary was a neutron star (NS). We show with concrete examples of heretofore viable equations of state (EOSs) that rapid uniform rotation may neither be necessary for some EOSs nor sufficient for others to explain the presence of a NS. Absolute upper limits for the maximum mass of a spherical NS …
The properties of compact stars and in particular the existence of twin star solutions are investigated within an effective model that is constrained by lattice QCD thermodynamics. The model is modified at large baryon densities to incorporate a large variety of scenarios of first order phase transitions to a phase of deconfined quarks. This is achieved by matching two different variants of the bag model equation of state, in order to estimate the role of the Bag model parameters on the appearance of a second family of neutron stars. The produced sequences of neutron stars are compared with mo…
We put constraints on the secondary component of GW190814 by analyzing the observational data of the event. The relativistic mean-field models are used to calculate the mass-radius profile and tidal deformability of the compact object, considering it as a massive neutron star with the presence of dark matter particles inside it. With the increase of dark matter percentage, the maximum mass, radius, and tidal deformability of the neutron star decreases. We observe that the predicted properties are well consistent with GW190814 observational data, suggesting the possibility of a dark matter admi…
We model the cooling of hybrid neutron stars combining a microscopic nuclear equation of state in the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach with different quark models. We then analyze the neutron star cooling curves predicted by the different models and single out the preferred ones. We find that the possibility of neutron p-wave pairing can be excluded in our scenario.
We discuss the possibility of the non-one-neutron emission channels in the cold fusion reaction $^{70}$Zn + $^{209}$Bi to produce the element Z=113. For this purpose, we calculate the evaporation-residue cross sections of one-proton, radiative-capture, and two-neutron emissions relative to the one-neutron emission in the reaction $^{70}$Zn + $^{209}$Bi. To estimate the upper bounds of those quantities, we vary model parameters in the calculations, such as the level-density parameter and the height of the fission barrier. We conclude that the highest possibility is for the 2n reaction channel, …
It is shown the possibility of existence of metastable atoms of dineutroneum as a bound state of two neutrons and one neutrino. Such atoms can appear in a reaction of deuterons with free or quasi-free electrons. The estimation of mass, size and lifetime of dineutroneum atom is fulfilled.
We review the diffuse scattering and the loss coefficient in ultracold neutron reflection from slightly rough surfaces, report a surprising reduction in loss coefficient due to roughness, and discuss the possibility of transition from quantum treatment to ray optics. The results are used in a computer simulation of neutron storage in a recent neutron lifetime experiment that re-ported a large discrepancy of neutron lifetime with the current particle data value. Our partial re-analysis suggests the possibility of systematic effects that were not included in this publication.
The detection of gravitational waves from a neutron star merger has opened up the possibility of detecting the presence or creation of deconfined quark matter using the gravitational wave signal. To investigate this possibility, we construct a family of neutron star matter equations of state at nonzero density and temperature by combining state-of-the-art nuclear matter equations of state with holographic equations of state for strongly interacting quark matter. The emerging picture consistently points toward a strong first order deconfinement transition, with a temperature-dependent critical …
The observation of a compact object with a mass of $2.50-2.67M_{\odot}$ on August 14, 2019, by the LIGO Scientific and Virgo collaborations (LVC) has the potential to improve our understanding of the supranuclear equation of state. While the gravitational-wave analysis of the LVC suggests that GW190814 likely was a binary black hole system, the secondary component could also have been the heaviest neutron star observed to date. We use our previously derived nuclear-physics-multimessenger astrophysics framework to address the nature of this object. Based on our findings, we determine GW190814 t…
The effects of $ϕ$-meson on properties of hyperon stars are studied systematically in the framework of the density dependent relativistic mean field (DDRMF) model. The $ϕ$-meson shifts hyperon threshold to a higher density and reduces the hyperon fractions in neutron star cores. It also strongly stiffens the equation of state (EoS) calculated with various DDRMF effective interactions and increases the maximum mass of hyperon stars, but only a few effective interactions survive under the constraints from recent astrophysical observations. In the DDRMF model, the conformal limit of sound velocit…
The possibility of the description of the available experimental data for cross sections of the neutron capture reaction on 10B at thermal and astrophysical energies, taking into account the resonance at 475 keV, was considered within the framework of the modified potential cluster model with forbidden states and accounting for the resonance behavior of the scattering phase shifts.
The neutron matter equation of state is calculated from two-neutron forces up to fifth order of the chiral expansion and the order-by-order convergence of the predictions is investigated. Based on these equations of state, the binding energies and the neutron and proton density distributions in 208Pb and 48Ca are derived, with particular attention to the neutron skins, the focal point of this paper. Anticipating future experiments which will provide reliable information on the weak charge density in nuclei, the theoretical uncertainties and the possibility of constraining the size of few-neutr…
We used the GEANT4 Monte Carlo MC Toolkit to simulate carbon ion beams incident on water, tissue, and bone, taking into account nuclear fragmentation reactions. Upon increasing the energy of the primary beam, the position of the Bragg-Peak transfers to a location deeper inside the phantom. For different materials, the peak is located at a shallower depth along the beam direction and becomes sharper with increasing electron density NZ. Subsequently, the generated depth dose of the Bragg curve is then benchmarked with experimental data from GSI in Germany. The results exhibit a reasonable correl…
