ar X iv : a st ro - p h / 00 11 18 3 v 1 9 N ov 2 00 0 1 POPULATION SYNTHESIS OF NEUTRON STARS , STRANGE ( QUARK ) STARS AND BLACK HOLES

We compute and present the distribution in mass of single and binary neutron stars, strange stars, and black holes. The calculations were performed using a stellar population synthesis code. We follow all phases of single and binary evolution, starting from a ZAMS binary and ending in the creation of one compact object (neutron star, black hole, strange star) and a white dwarf, or two compact objects (single or binary). We assume that neutron stars are formed in the collapse of iron/nickel cores in the mass range M 0 < M < M 1 , quark stars in the range M 1 < M < M 2 , and black holes for core masses M > M 2 and find that the population of quark stars can easily be as large as the population of black holes, even if there is only a small mass window for their formation.