Compact stars and the symmetry energy

The effect of the symmetry energy on some properties of compact stars which contain strange degrees of freedom is discussed. Both the onset of hyperons or kaon condensation will be considered. The hyperon-meson couplings are chosen according to experimental values of the hyperon nuclear matter potentials and possible uncertainties are considered. It is shown that a softer symmetry energy affects the onset of strangeness, namely neutral (negatively charged) strange particles set on at larger (smaller) densities, and gives rise to a smaller strangeness fraction as a function of density. A softer symmetry energy will possibily give rise to maximum mass configurations with larger masses. Hyperon-meson couplings have a strong effect on the mass of the star. It is shown that, for stars with masses above 1 M-circle dot, the radius of the star varies linearly with the symmetry energy slope L.