Neutron stars: cosmic laboratories to study matter at extreme densities

Ignazio Bombaci, University of Pisa - 23.1.17

Abstract:

Neutron stars, the compact remnants of core-collapse supernova, are the densest macroscopic objects in the Universe. They represent the limit beyond which gravity overwhelm all the other forces of nature and lead to the formation of a black hole. Thus neutron stars are remarkable natural laboratories that allow us to investigate the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions under extreme conditions that cannot be reproduced in terrestrial laboratories. In this talk, I will briefly discuss some of the present models to describe the equation of state of dense strongly interacting matter and their application to neutron star physics. In particular, I will focus on some open problems as the so-called hyperon puzzle in neutron stars and the possible presence of a quark deconfined phase, thus considering the so-called quark stars. Finally, I will discuss the astrophysical consequences of the possible conversion process of hadronic stars to quark stars.