Astrophysics: quark matter in compact stars?
In a theoretical interpretation of observational data from the neutron star EXO 0748-676, Ozel concludes that quark matter probably does not exist in the centre of neutron stars. However, this conclusion is based on a limited set of possible equations of state for quark matter. Here we compare Ozel's observational limits with predictions based on a more comprehensive set of proposed quark-matter equations of state from the literature, and conclude that the presence of quark matter in EXO 0748-676 is not ruled out.
Alford
M
M
Department of Physics, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA. alford@wuphys.wustl.edu
Blaschke
D
D
Drago
A
A
Klähn
T
T
Pagliara
G
G
Schaffner-Bielich
J
J