Constraints on the Existence of Strange Quark Stars

Abstract

Creation of strange quark stars through strong interaction deconfinement is studied based on modern estimates of hyperon formation in neutron stars. The hyperon abundance is shown to be large enough so that if strange quark matter (SQM) is the true ground state of matter, the deconfinement density should be at most 2.5-3 times the nuclear saturation density. If so, deconfinement occurs in neutron stars at birth, and all neutron stars must be strange quark stars. Alternatively, sould observation indicate that some neutron stars have a baryonic interior, SQM is unlikely to be absolutely stable.