Speaker: Andreas Reisenegger

 

Abstract:

The progressive slowdown of the rotation of neutron stars leads to their contraction and thus to a chemical imbalance between the neutrons, protons, and other particles in their core. This imbalance is adjusted by beta decays that release energy into the stellar interior, keeping it warm. Hubble Space Telescope observations show far ultraviolet emission from a few very old neutron stars, which may well be due to this process. This can be used to probe the state of very dense matter, as well as the possible time-variation of Newton’s constant of gravitation.