ProMatEx-NS · Probing Matter at the Extreme Conditions with Neutron Stars

Probing Matter at the Extreme Conditions with Neutron Stars

In the project, ProMatEx-NS, we have studied the behavior of dense nuclear matter inside neutron stars. The mass of neutron stars can be as high as twice the mass of the sun. But, their size is quite small, about 10-15 km in radius. Therefore, neutron stars are compact and extremely gravitating objects. These stars are born as the aftermath of the core-collapse supernova explosions of massive stars, more than ten times the mass of the sun. The interior of neutron stars provides an environment where the density becomes more than normal nuclear matter density. The constituents of this type of matter are still unknown. Since this type of condition cannot be created in terrestrial laboratories, neutron stars can be excellent laboratories for understanding fundamental physical laws of particle interactions and gravity. The nature of nuclear interactions and the composition of matter at neutron star cores are still open problems and subject to intense research. During the last decade, new astrophysical observations and nuclear experiments renewed interest in these topics. Our objective in this project is to study different aspects of neutron stars: from the crust to the core. We test our understanding of nuclear physics and develop a robust framework for the modelling of neutron star interior using the latest observational data and the results from nuclear experiments relevant to the composition of the neutron star core. As an application, we further consider the neutron star observations as indirect dark matter detection experiments and test theories of particle physics beyond the standard model.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз