Constraining a relativistic mean field model using neutron star mass–radius measurements II hyperonic models

We investigate whether measurements of the neutron star mass and radius or the tidal deformability can provide information about the presence of hyperons inside a neutron star. This is achieved by considering two inference models, with and without hyperons, based on a field theoretical approach. While current observations do not distinguish between the two scenarios, we have shown that data simulating expected observations from future large-area X-ray timing telescopes could provide some information through Bayes’ factors. Inference using simulated data generated from an equation of state containing hyperons decisively favours the hyperonic model over the nucleonic model. However, a 2 per cent uncertainty in the mass and radius determination may not be sufficient to constrain the parameters of the model when only six neutron star mass–radius measurements are considered.