The discussion centers around the mechanisms by which a neutron star can shed mass after its formation from the collapse of a stellar core. It explores theoretical aspects related to neutrino emissions, thermal photon cooling, and other processes that may contribute to mass loss.
Participants generally agree that mass loss can occur through various mechanisms, particularly involving neutrino emissions. However, there are nuances regarding the definitions of the "new" state and the processes involved, indicating some level of disagreement or lack of consensus on specific details.
There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions made about the conditions under which mass loss occurs, the definitions of terms like "new" and "protoneutron star," and the complexity of the processes involved, which remain unresolved.
Yes. When a neutron star is "new" with temperatures above ~ 109 K, there is strong heat-loss (therefore mass) by neutrino emission. At lower temperatures, there is "standard thermal photon cooling", which has a power proportional to T4 K. Another process is where an electron passes by a nucleus and, instead of emitting a single photon emits a neutrino-antineutrino pair. This has a power of about T6.Duane M said:Once the steller core of a massive star collapses into a neutron star, is there any known mechanism by which the neutron star can shed mass?
By "new" I think that you mean when is exactly what is called a protoneutron star. Then yes, it loses all its neutrinos by a process called deleptonizationYes. When a neutron star is "new"...
Even after the protoneutron star (PNS) stage, neutrino emissions dominate for ~100 years in the "standard" model and as much as 1 million years in certain cases depending on the state of the "superfluidity" of the degenerate matter.meteor said:By "new" I think that you mean when is exactly what is called a protoneutron star. Then yes, it loses all its neutrinos by a process called deleptonization