Speaker
Description
The thermal evolution of neutron stars provides a uniquely sensitive probe of the microphysics of ultra‑dense matter, from nucleonic interactions and superfluidity to the possible emergence of exotic degrees of freedom such as hyperons, deconfined quarks, or dark-sector cooling channels. This lecture will survey the theoretical foundations of neutron‑star cooling, beginning with the structure of the stellar interior, the thermal conductivity and the dominant neutrino‑emission processes that regulate early-time evolution. I will discuss the role of superfluid and superconducting phases, the role of the crust. We will discuss the fundamental role of magnetic‑fields effects, which makes the conductivity anisotropic and enlarge the cooling timescales, making highly magnetised neutron stars X-ray bright and active for longer. I will also present some keynotes on recent state‑of‑the‑art numerical simulations, including modern microphysical inputs, envelope models and magnetic fields. By comparing simulated cooling curves with observations of isolated neutron stars, we will examine current constraints on the equation of state and the composition of dense matter.
