Low-Mass Quark Stars

More and more observational hints of quark stars are proposed these years though pulsars are considered conventionally to be normal neutron stars. The existence of low-mass quark stars is a direct consequence of the possibility that pulsar-like stars are actually quark stars, because of the ability that quark matter can confine itself by color interaction. After a brief introduction to the study of quark stars, the various astrophysical implications of low-mass quark stars are investigated. It is addressed that some of the transient unidentified γ -ray sources are probably merging quark stars. The observability of low-mass quark stars is discussed.     

Low-Mass Quark Stars or Quark White Dwarfs

An equation of state is considered that, in superdense nuclear matter, results in a phase transition of the first kind from the nucleon state to the quark state with a transition parameter > 3/2 ( = _Q /( _N + P ₀/c ²)). A calculation of the integrated parameters of superdense stars on the basis of this equation of state shows that on the stable branch of the dependence of stellar mass on central pressure (dM/dP _c > 0), in the low-mass range, following the formation of a tooth-shaped break (M = 0.08 M , R = 200 km) due to quark formation, a new local maximum with M _max = 0.082 M and R = 1251 km is also formed. The mass and radius of the quark core of such a star turn out to be M _core = 0.005 M and R _core = 1.7 km, respectively. Mass accretion in this model can result in two successive transitions to a neutron star with a quark core, with energy release like supernova outbursts.     

Models of Strange Stars with a Crust and Strange Dwarfs

Strange quark stars with a crust and strange dwarfs consisting of a compact strange quark core and an extended crust are investigated in terms of a bag model. The crust, which consists of atomic nuclei and degenerate electrons, has a limiting density of _cr=_drip=4.3·10¹¹ g/cm³. A series of configurations are calculated for two sets of bag model parameters and three different values of _cr (10⁹ g/cm³ _{cr drip}) to find the dependence of a star's mass M and radius R on the central density. Sequences of stars ranging from compact strange stars to extended strange dwarfs are constructed out of strange quark matter with a crust. The effect of the bag model parameters and limiting crust density _cr on the parameters of the strange stars and strange dwarfs is examined. The strange dwarfs are compared with ordinary white dwarfs and observational differences between the two are pointed out.     

The Crust Properties and Cooling of Strange Stars

We investigate the influence of the following parameters on the crust properties of strange stars: the strange quark mass (m _s), the strong coupling constant (α_c) and the vacuum energy density (B). It is found that the mass density at the crust base of strange stars cannot reach the neutron drip density. For a conventional parameter set of m _s=200 MeV, B ^1/4 = 145 MeV and α_c = 0.3, the maximum density at the crust base of a typical strange star is only 5.5 × 10¹⁰ gcm^-3, and correspondingly the maximum crust mass is 1.4 ×10^-6 M_⊙. Subsequently, we present the thermal structure and the cooling behavior of strange stars with crusts of different thickness, and under different diquark pairing gaps. Our work might provide important clues for distinguishing strange stars from neutron stars.     

Low-Mass Neutron Stars with Rotation

Astronomy Letters - The properties of low-mass neutron stars with rigid rotation are considered. The possible evolution paths of such stars in a close binary system with mass transfer are...     

Interactive Winds in Low-Mass Evolved Stars

Hypersonic flows occur in the late evolutionary stages of low to intermediate mass stars (M _ZAMS < 8M⊙). We present, from an observational point of view, the story of the matter ejected and shaped by different stellar winds. From the end of the Asymptotic Giant Branch to the Planetary Nebulae phases, the temperature and density both of the star and of the gas and dust envelope show drastic variations over a few thousand of years. We present multiwavelength (X-ray to radio) signatures of the outflows, observed through spectra and images of the consecutive phases, and discuss some open questions (bipolar morphology, microstructures,...). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Strange Stars： Can Their Crust Reach the Neutron Drip Density？

The electrostatic potential of electrons near the surface of static strange stars at zero temperature is studied within the frame of the MIT bag model. We find that for QCD parameters within rather wide ranges, if the nuclear crust on the strange star is at a density leading to neutron drip, then the electrostatic potential will be insufficient to establish an outwardly directed electric field, which is crucial for the survival of such a crust. If a minimum gap width of 200 fm is brought in as a more stringent constraint, then our calculations will completely rule out the possibility of such crusts. Therefore, our results argue against the existence of neutron-drip crusts in nature.     

Old, Low-Mass, Metal-Rich (SMR) Stars

The authors of this paper try to disentangle the many problems arisen from a new enlarged sample of nearby low-mass,metal-rich-stars. These stars have reliable absolute magnitudes, deduced from Hipparcos parallaxes, precise bolometric corrections, effective temperatures and metal abundances from high resolution detailed spectroscopic analyses. Their ages have been derived from a grid of isochrones calculated with up to date physics. The main goal of this paper is to determine the ages of the slightly evolved SMR stars. Among those with well determinated ages about 80% of them have intermediate ages of (2 to 5 Gyr), but only 20% have ages of 8 Gyr or more. Nevertheless, the existence of very old metal-rich stars is confirmed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Neutron Stars With a Quark Core

Models of neutron stars with a quark core are calculated on the basis of an extensive set of equations of state for superdense matter. The possible existence of a new branch of stable layered neutron stars is revealed for some realistic equations of state of neutron matter.     

Space-Time Geometry of Quark and Strange Quark Matter

We study quark and strange quark matter in the context of general relativity. For this purpose, we solve Einstein＇s field equations for quark and strange quark matter in spherical symmetric space-times. We analyze strange quark matter for the different equations of state （EOS） in the spherical symmetric space-times, thus we are able to obtain the space-time geometries of quark and strange quark matter. Also, we discuss the features of the obtained solutions. The obtained solutions are consistent with the results of Brookhaven Laboratory, i.e. the quark-gluon plasma has a vanishing shear （i.e. quark-gluon plasma is perfect）.     

Space-Time Geometry of Quark and Strange Quark Matter

We study quarkand strangequarkmatter in the contextof generalrelativity.For this purpose,we solve Einstein's field equations for quark and strange quark matter in spherical symmetric space-times. We analyze strange quark matter for the different equations of state (EOS) in the spherical symmetric space-times,thus we are able to obtain the space-time geometries of quark and strange quark matter. Also,we discuss the features of the obtained solutions. The obtained solutions are consistent with the results of Brookhaven Laboratory,i.e. the quark-gluon plasma has a vanishing shear (i.e. quark-gluon plasma is perfect).     

早期中子星和夸克物质

夸克禁闭的解除与夸克物质的存在一直是物理学家极感兴趣的问题。尽管理论上已指出在超高温或超高密的条件下可以有夸克物质存在,但是由于地面实验室的条件所限,目前还不能通过实验证实这一点.宇宙中被观测到的中子星(例如crab和Vela脉冲星)的中心密度大于4倍的核物质密度,其中心温度也可以达到10~8—10~9K,于是人们希     

Neutron Stars with a Quark Core. I. Equations of State

An extensive set of realistic equations of state for superdense matter with a quark phase transition is derived on the basis of the three equations of state for neutron matter and the eight variants of strange quark-gluon plasmas in the MIT quark bag model. The characteristics of the phase transitions are described and the calculated equations of state with a density jump are studied in detail.     

Masses and Radii of Low-Mass Stars: Theory Versus Observations

Eclipsing binaries with M-type components are still rare objects. Strong observational biases have made that today only a few eclipsing binaries with component masses below 0.6 M_⊙ and well-determined fundamental properties are known. However, even in these small numbers the detailed comparison of the observed masses and radii with theoretical predictions has revealed large disagreements. Current models seem to predict radii of stars in the 0.4--0.8 M_⊙ range to be some 5--15% smaller than observed. Given the high accuracy of the empirical measurements (a few percent in both mass and radius), these differences are highly significant. I review all the observational evidence on the properties of M-type stars and discuss a possible scenario based on stellar activity to explain the observed discrepancies.     

Low-Mass Young Stars in Cep OB2: Ages, Distribution and Accretion Disks

We are studying the young clusters Tr37 and NGC7160 in the Cep OB2 region as part of a program to understand the evolution of accretion disks at the ages of disk dissipation and planet formation. Here, we present the first identifications of low mass (spectral types K-M) members of the clusters and study the presence and characteristics of their accretion disks, finding evidences of disk evolution. Using optical photometry and spectroscopy, we have identified ～70 members in Tr37 and ～20 in NGC7160, confirming age estimates of 3 and 10 Myr respectively. Accretion rates are ～10^?8 M _⊙yr^?1 in Tr37. We have not found any accreting members in NGC7160, suggesting that disk accretion generally ends before the age of 10 Myr, which is consistent with the results from other populations.