Small, dense quark stars from perturbative QCD - art. no. 121702

As a model for nonideal behavior in the equation of state of QCD at high de nsity, we consider cold quark matter in perturbation theory. To second orde r in the strong coupling constant alpha (s), the results depend sensitively on the choice of the renormalization mass scale. Certain choices of this s cale correspond to a strongly first order chiral transition, and generate q uark stars with maximum masses and radii approximately half that of ordinar y neutron stars. At the center of these stars, quarks are essentially massl ess.