FAST ROTATION OF NEUTRON-STARS AND EQUATION OF STATE OF DENSE MATTER

Radio pulsars - rapidly rotating, magnetized neutron stars - are the f astest stellar rotators in the Universe. The structure of rotating neu tron stars is determined by the equation of state of matter at supranu clear densities and the angular frequency of rotation. Results of calc ulations of rapidly rotating neutron star models, performed for a broa d set of equations of state of dense matter, are reviewed. The upper l imit to rotation frequency of stable rotation results from the appeara nce of instabilities in rapidly rotating neutron stars. Maximum rotati on frequency depends on the equation of state of dense matter, but som e general empirical relations between the maximally rotating and stati c neutron star models are shown to exist.