How the HESS J1731-347 object could be explained using K− condensation

The recent observation of a compact star with a mass of M=0.77−0.17+0.20M⊙ and a radius of R=10.4−0.78+0.86 km, located within the supernova remnant HESS J1731-347, has substantially reinforced the evidence for the presence of exotic matter in neutron stars core. This finding has markedly enhanced our comprehension of the equation of state for dense nuclear matter. In the present work, we investigate the possible existence of a kaon condensation in hadronic neutron stars by employing and comparing two theoretical frameworks: the Relativistic Mean Field model with first order kaon condensate and the Momentum-Dependent Interaction model complemented by chiral effective theory. To the best of our knowledge, this represents a first alternative attempt aimed to explain the bulk properties of the specific object with the inclusion of a kaon condensation in dense nuclear matter. The application of two different models enriches the research, providing insights from the aspect of different theoretical frameworks that accurately predict the existence of HESS J1731-347. In both cases significant insights are extracted for the parameter space of models, emphasizing to those concerning the nucleon-kaon potential, the threshold density for the appearance of a kaon condensation, as well as the parameter a3ms which is related to the strangeness content of the proton. Concluding, the present research indicates that a more systematic investigation of similar objects could offer valuable constraints on the properties of dense nuclear matter.