EFFECTS OF HYPERONS ON VIBRATIONS OF NEUTRON STARS

We calculate the effects of hyperons and resonance particles on the vibrations of neutron stars. Vibrating neutron stars can store large amounts of energy in their vibrations; the interaction of the vibrations with the atmosphere would produce electromagnetic radiation. If any process damps out the vibrations rapidly on an astronomical time scale (∼ 1000 years) then vibrating neutron stars are not likely to be found. Previous work indicates that radiation by a neutrino URCA process (N+N→P+N+e-+ {Mathematical expression}) does not rapidly damp many of the neutron star models. Some neutron stars are predicted to contain massive baryons; here we study thermal damping by nonequilibrium reactions involving these baryons. During vibrations the thermodynamic equilibrium state is changed and particle reactions attempt to restore equilibrium. If the reaction rates per particle are very rapid or slow compared to the frequency of vibration the system follows almost the same pressure-volume curve through both parts of the gas cycle, and very little work is done. In the intermediate case, when reaction rates are comparable to the frequency, damping is rapid. We find that the reaction rates for weak interactions such as N+N↔P+Σ- (the Σ- is the first hyperon to appear with increasing density in degenerate neutron star matter) are of the right magnitude to cause rapid damping. If there is a hyperon region in the star then it cannot sustain vibrations. We also consider the much faster (and hence less important) process N+N↔P+Δ-. © 1969 D. Reidel Publishing Company.