Hyperons in neutron-star cores and a 2 M⊙ pulsar

Context. A recent measurement of the mass of PSR J1614-2230 rules out most existing models of the equation of state (EOS) of dense matter that is subjected to the high-density softening caused by either hyperonization or a phase transition to either quark matter or a boson condensate. Aims. We attempt to resolve the apparent differences between the predictions derived from up-to-date hypernuclear data, which include the appearance of hyperons at about three nuclear densities and the existence of a M = 2.0 M-circle dot neutron star. Methods. We consider a non-linear relativistic mean field (RMF) model involving the baryon octet coupled to meson fields. An effective Lagrangian includes quartic terms in the meson fields. The values of the model parameters are obtained by fitting the semi-empirical parameters of nuclear matter at the saturation point, as well as potential wells for hyperons in nuclear matter and the strength of the Lambda - Lambda attraction in double-Lambda hypernuclei. Results. We propose a non-linear RMF model that is consistent with up-to-date semi-empirical nuclear and hypernuclear data and allows for neutron stars with hyperon cores and M > 2 M-circle dot. The model involves hidden-strangeness scalar and vector mesons, coupled only to hyperons, and quartic terms involving vector meson fields. Conclusions. Our EOS involving hyperons is stiffer than the corresponding nucleonic EOS (in which hyperons are artificially suppressed) above five nuclear densities. The required stiffening is generated by the quartic terms involving the hidden-strangeness vector meson.