In the realm of astrophysics and energy research, understanding the behavior of neutron stars can provide valuable insights into the fundamental forces and particles that make up our universe. Researchers Hajime Sotani and Ankit Kumar, affiliated with the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee respectively, have recently delved into the intriguing world of dark matter admixed neutron stars. Their work, published in the journal Physical Review D, explores the oscillation frequencies of these complex stellar objects and their potential implications for the energy sector.
Neutron stars, the incredibly dense remnants of supernova explosions, are primarily composed of neutrons. However, some theories suggest that dark matter, a mysterious and invisible form of matter that makes up approximately 27% of the universe, could also be present within these stars. Sotani and Kumar’s research focuses on models where dark matter is composed of self-interacting fermions, which interact with normal matter only through gravity. By employing a two-fluid formalism and the relativistic Cowling approximation, the researchers were able to investigate the fundamental oscillation frequencies of both the nuclear and dark matter components within these neutron stars.
The study revealed a remarkable universality in the mass-scaled fundamental frequencies of the nuclear fluid in dark core configurations and the dark fluid in halo configurations. These frequencies exhibit a tight correlation with the total stellar compactness, which is a measure of how much mass is packed into a given volume. This universality holds true across the range of dark matter parameters explored in the study and is largely independent of the nuclear equation of state, which describes the behavior of nuclear matter under extreme conditions.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that this universality breaks down when the frequencies are expressed in terms of the tidal deformability, a measure of how easily a star can be deformed by an external gravitational field. This contrasting behavior suggests that the presence of dark matter within neutron stars could leave observable imprints, potentially offering a new avenue for detecting and studying this elusive form of matter.
For the energy sector, understanding the behavior of dark matter admixed neutron stars could have significant implications. Neutron stars are natural nuclear laboratories, providing insights into the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. By studying these stars, researchers can gain a better understanding of the fundamental forces and particles that govern our universe, which could in turn lead to advancements in nuclear energy and other related fields. Furthermore, the potential detection of dark matter within neutron stars could open up new possibilities for harnessing this mysterious form of energy, although such applications remain purely speculative at this stage.
In conclusion, Sotani and Kumar’s research sheds new light on the complex interplay between dark matter and nuclear matter within neutron stars. Their findings highlight the potential observational imprints of dark matter and offer valuable insights for the energy sector. As our understanding of these enigmatic stellar objects continues to grow, so too will our ability to harness the power of the universe’s most fundamental forces and particles.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.