Inhomogeneous phases in dense strongly interacting matter - a generic phenomenon?

24 Mar 2014, 17:00
20m

Speaker

Prof. Dirk Rischke (Institut für Theoretische Physik Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität)

Description

Calculations within QCD-inspired models as well within QCD in the large-N_c limit show that dense quark matter features inhomogeneous phases. The order parameter for chiral symmetry breaking varies periodically, in the form of a chiral density wave ("chiral spiral") or in the functional form of a Jacobi elliptic function. In this talk, I will demonstrate that this phenomenon also occurs in an effective chiral model with purely hadronic degrees of freedom. The parameters of the model are adjusted to give a reasonable fit of hadron vacuum properties. The model is also able to reproduce nuclear matter saturation properties. We find that, above a density of about 2.4 times the nuclear matter ground state density, an inhomogeneous phase sets in, where the chiral order parameter varies in the form of a chiral density wave. Thus, inhomogeneous phases seem to be a generic feature of high-density strongly interacting matter.

Primary author

Prof. Dirk Rischke (Institut für Theoretische Physik Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität)

Presentation materials