Rapid differential rotation of protoneutron stars and constraints on radio pulsars periods

Abstract

Models of differentially rotating protoneutron stars are calculated, using realistic equations of state of dense hot matter. Various conditions within the stellar interior, corresponding to different stages of protoneutron star evolution, are considered. Families of differentially rotating models of a given baryon mass are calculated, using a two-parameter formula describing the angular velocity profile within a rotating protoneutron star. Maximum angular momentum, which can be accommodated by a protoneutron star is calculated, for various thermal conditions in stellar interior, for a baryon mass of $1.5 M_\odot$. In the case of a thermally homogeneous (isentropic or isothermal) neutrino-opaque interior this maximum angular momentum turns out to be somewhat higher than that of a cold neutron star of the same baryon mass, rotating uniformly at the mass shedding angular velocity. However, if the protoneutron star has a thermal structure characteristic of initial state, with a low entropy (unshocked) core, and a high entropy (shocked) outer half of baryon mass, the maximum angular momentum is significantly lower. This leads to a minimum period of uniform rotation of cold neutron stars of baryon mass $\sim 1.5~M_\odot$, formed directly (i.e. without a subsequent significant accretion of mass) from protoneutron stars with shocked envelope, of about 1.7 ms and strengthens the hypothesis that millisecond pulsars are accretion accelerated neutron stars.