CC L102
We kindly ask all attendees to provide their full name when entering the event. If attendees have questions for the speaker, please introduce yourself before asking the question.
Speaker: Srimoyee Sen (Iowa State University)
Title: Quark matter vs nuclear matter: a topological transition
Abstract: Dense astrophysical objects like neutron stars allow us to explore the phase diagram of QCD at very low temperature and very high density. The outer layers of the star are made up of nuclear matter and the inner core of quark matter. A natural question that follows is whether nuclear matter and quark matter are necessarily separated by a phase boundary. I discuss how new insight from topological phases in quantum materials support the existence of such a phase boundary. I also discuss how future lattice simulations may help us reach a conclusive answer to this question.