Evolution of equal mass binary bare quark stars in full general relativity: Could a supramassive merger remnant experience prompt collapse?

Abstract

We have evolved mergers of equal-mass binary quark stars, the total mass of which is close to the mass shedding limit of uniformly rotating configurations, in fully general relativistic hydrodynamic simulations, aimed at investigating the postmerger outcomes. In particular, we have identified the threshold mass for prompt black hole formation after the merger, by tracing the minimum lapse function as well as the amount of ejected material during the merger simulation. A semianalytical investigation based on the angular momentum contained in the merger remnant is also performed to verify the results. For the equation of state considered in this work, the maximum mass of cold spherical configurations is 2.10M⊙, the threshold mass is found between 3.05 and 3.10M⊙. This result is consistent (with a quantitative error smaller than 1%) with the universal relation derived from the numerical results of symmetric binary neutron star mergers. Contrary to the neutron star case, the threshold mass is close to the mass shedding limit of uniformly rotating quark star. Consequently, we have found that binary quark stars with total mass corresponding to the long-lived supramassive remnant for neutron star case, could experience collapse to black hole within several times dynamical timescale, making quark stars as exceptions of the commonly accepted postmerger scenarios for binary neutron star mergers. We have suggested explanation for both the similarity and the difference, between quark stars and neutron stars.