---
abstract: 'We review current state of neutron star cooling theory and discuss the prospects to constrain the equation of state, neutrino emission and superfluid properties of neutron star cores by comparing the cooling theory with observations of thermal radiation from isolated neutron stars.'
author:
- 'D. G. Yakovlev'
- 'O. Y. Gnedin'
- 'A. D. Kaminker'
- 'A. Y. Potekhin'
title: Theory of cooling neutron stars versus observations
---

[ address=[Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021, St. Petersburg, Russia]{} ,altaddress=[Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, 210a Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5670, USA]{} ]{}

[ address=[University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042, USA]{} ]{}

[ address=[Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021, St. Petersburg, Russia]{} ]{}

[ address=[Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021, St. Petersburg, Russia]{} ,altaddress=[Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CRAL (UMR CNRS 5574), 46 allée d’Italie, Lyon 69364, France]{} ]{}

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Introduction
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The equation of state (EOS) of superdense matter in neutron star cores is still a mystery. It is not clear if it is soft, moderate or stiff; if the matter contains nucleons/hyperons, or exotic components. In the absence of good practical theory of supranuclear matter the problem cannot be solved on purely 