Proposed test of a strange matter pulsar by observation of the neutrino flux from Cygnus X-3
Abstract
High energy γ's observed from Cygnus X-3 have been explained by assuming that protons emitted by a pulsar are accelerated to 1017 eV in its polar field and then collide with the atmosphere of its companion star. Recognizing that ν's are produced by this mechanism the IMB and other experimental groups are currently searching for them. It is shown how the hypothesis of the pulsar being strange matter might be tested by observation of the ν flux. Metastable strange droplets stripped from the pulsar (and accelerated) by electrodynamic fields yield ν's, by decay and by collisions with the companion's atmosphere, with qualitatively different details than those produced by the proton collisions. Further, searching is suggested for ν's produced by this decay mechanism from nearby pulsars with no companion in future, large detectors. The decays may be rapid enough to see the pulsar frequency in the neutrino signal. © 1986.
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