Enhanced neutrino cooling from parity-doubled nucleons in neutron star cooling simulations
Phys. Rev. D 114, 083050 – Published 27 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/h6p4-4qkq
Abstract
Although restoration of chiral symmetry is predicted by quantum chromodynamics to take place at high baryon density, most modeling of neutron star interiors disregards a chiral phase transition. We model neutron star cores with a parity doublet model, which allows for dynamical chiral symmetry restoration and predicts the appearance of the parity partners of nucleons and hyperons at large densities, as well as deconfined quark matter. We study the thermal evolution of neutron stars, focusing for the first time on the impact of Urca processes involving the parity partners in neutron star cooling simulations. We find that Urca processes for the parity partners of the nucleons significantly affect the thermal evolution of massive stars and allow for improved agreement with observed surface temperature and ages.
