Axion-Polaritons in quark stars: a possible solution to the missing pulsar problem

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Ferrer, E. J., de la Incera, V.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Ferrer, E. J.
de la Incera, V.
author_facet Ferrer, E. J.
de la Incera, V.
contents This paper proposes an alternative mechanism to solve the so-called missing pulsar problem, a standing paradox between the theoretical expectations about the number of pulsars that should exist in the galaxy center of the Milky Way and their absence in the observations. The mechanism is based on the transformation of incident $γ$ rays into hybridized modes, known as axion-polaritons, which can exist inside highly magnetized quark stars with a quark matter phase known as the magnetic dual chiral density wave phase. This phase, which is favored over several other dense matter phases candidates at densities a few times nuclear saturation density, has already passed several important astrophysical tests. In the proposed mechanism, the absence of young magnetars occurs because as electromagnetic waves inside the star can only propagate through the hybridized modes, incident photons coming from a $γ$-ray burst get transformed into massless and massive axion polaritons by the Primakoff effect. Once thermalized, the massive axion-polaritons can self-gravitate up to a situation where their total mass overpasses the Chandrasekhar limit for these bosons, producing a mini blackhole that collapses the star.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_17035
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Axion-Polaritons in quark stars: a possible solution to the missing pulsar problem
Ferrer, E. J.
de la Incera, V.
Nuclear Theory
This paper proposes an alternative mechanism to solve the so-called missing pulsar problem, a standing paradox between the theoretical expectations about the number of pulsars that should exist in the galaxy center of the Milky Way and their absence in the observations. The mechanism is based on the transformation of incident $γ$ rays into hybridized modes, known as axion-polaritons, which can exist inside highly magnetized quark stars with a quark matter phase known as the magnetic dual chiral density wave phase. This phase, which is favored over several other dense matter phases candidates at densities a few times nuclear saturation density, has already passed several important astrophysical tests. In the proposed mechanism, the absence of young magnetars occurs because as electromagnetic waves inside the star can only propagate through the hybridized modes, incident photons coming from a $γ$-ray burst get transformed into massless and massive axion polaritons by the Primakoff effect. Once thermalized, the massive axion-polaritons can self-gravitate up to a situation where their total mass overpasses the Chandrasekhar limit for these bosons, producing a mini blackhole that collapses the star.
title Axion-Polaritons in quark stars: a possible solution to the missing pulsar problem
topic Nuclear Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.17035