The Condensed Matter Astrophysics of QCD

Krishna Rajagopal , MIT

At the highest conceivable densities, dense enough that neutrons and protons have been crushed, the quark matter that results turns out to have surprising properties whose understanding requires borrowing both ideas and techniques from condensed matter physics and applying them to quarks described by QCD. The phenomena that may occur include color superconductivity with attendant Meissner effects, a dielectric insulator, an insulator to metal transition, and a form of crystallization. I will begin this colloquium with a brief introduction to the phase diagram of QCD more broadly, and then focus on dense quark matter, describing what we know from QCD and what the remaining puzzles are. The only place in the universe where color superconducting quark matter may occur is in compact stars, so I will close with a look at some astrophysical observations that may help us to resolve the remaining puzzles.

The P/T Colloquium is
typically held each
Thursday, 3:45–5:00 PM.
Refreshments are served
at 3:15 PM.