Dense quark matter in compact stars

The densest predicted state of matter is colour-superconducting quark matter, in which quarks near the Fermi surface form a condensate of Cooper pairs. This form of matter may well exist in the core of compact stars, and the search for signatures of its presence is an ongoing enterprise. Using a bag model of quark matter, I discuss the effects of colour superconductivity on the mass-radius relationship of compact stars, showing that colour superconducting quark matter can occur in compact stars at values of the bag constant where ordinary quark matter would not be allowed. The resultant “hybrid” stars with colour superconducting quark matter interior and nuclear matter surface have masses in the range 1.3-1.6 M⊙ and radii 8-11 km. Once perturbative corrections are included, quark matter can show a mass-radius relationship very similar to that of nuclear matter.