Properties of dense QCD and applications to neutron stars

The PhD project aims at understanding matter at large baryon densities, governed by the strong interaction. Since first-principle calculations are currently out of reach in this regime, the project will make use of effective theories and model calculations. More specifically, the transition between baryonic and quark matter will be investigated within a phenomenological model and - depending on the results and progress - also within methods using the gauge-string duality. Special emphasis will be put on non-uniform phases that are expected in the vicinity of the phase transition such as the so-called chiral density wave and its competition with mixed phases. The expected results will be relevant for the QCD phase diagram but also for the phenomenology of neutron stars. For instance, a non-uniform layer inside the star with an anisotropic Fermi surface may affect neutrino emissivity and thus the cooling behavior of the star.