A pseudo-conformal structure in dense baryonic matter

Abstract

We clarify and extend further the idea developed in \cite{PKLMR,MLPR} that baryonic matter at high density has an emergent "pseudo-conformal symmetry." It is argued that as baryonic density exceeds $n\simeq n_{1/2}\gtrsim 2n_0$, a topology change mimicking the baryon-quark continuity takes place at $n_{1/2}$. In terms of skyrmions, this corresponds to the transition from skyrmions to half-skyrmions and impacts on the equation of state of dense baryonic matter. The emergence in medium at $n_{1/2}$ of parity-doublet symmetry -- which is invisible in QCD in matter-free vacuum -- plays the crucial role. The consequence of the topology change is that massive compact stars carry the "pseudo-conformal sound velocity" $v_s^2/c^2\approx 1/3$ at $n\gsim n_{1/2}$ signaling a precursor to precocious emergence of scale symmetry as well as {a} local symmetry hidden in QCD in the matter-free vacuum. A highly significant prediction of this work is that the topology change density from normal matter to half-skyrmion matter, up-to-date inaccessible either by QCD proper or by terrestrial experiments, could possibly be pinned down within the range $2<n_{1/2}/n_0<4$, commensurate with the range expected for a continuous hadrons-to-quarks/gluons transition.

Version published in Phys. Rev. D

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Cited by in corpus (15)

• Duality between $(2+1)d$ Quantum Critical Points
• Towards the Hadron-Quark Continuity Via a Topology Change in Compact Stars
• Momentum Shell in Quarkyonic Matter from Explicit Duality: A Dual Model for Cold, Dense QCD
• Sound velocity and tidal deformability in compact stars
• SYK Superconductivity: Quantum Kuramoto and Generalized Richardson Models
• Chiral soliton lattice effect on baryonic matter from skyrmion crystal model
• Topology and emergent symmetries in dense compact star matter
• Holographic cold dense matter constrained by neutron stars
• Scale symmetry and composition of compact star matter
• Dichotomy of Baryons as Quantum Hall Droplets and Skyrmions In Compact-Star Matter
• Topology change and nuclear symmetry energy in compact-star matter
• Topology change and emergent scale symmetry in compact star matter via gravitational wave detection
• Composition of scalar mesons and their effects on nuclear matter properties in an extended linear sigma model
• Chiral-Imbalance Density Wave in Baryonic Matters
• Finite density nuclear matter and neutron stars in hard-wall AdS/QCD model