QCD deconfinement -- phase transitions and collapsing quark stars

In this paper we discuss the QCD phase-transitions in the nontopological soliton model of quark confinement and explore possible astrophysical consequences. Our key idea is to look at quark stars (which are believed to exist since the quark matter is energetically preferred over the ordinary matter) from the point of view of soliton model. We propose that the phase transition taking place during the core collapse of massive evolved star may provide a new physical effect not taken into account in modeling the supernova explosions. We also point out the possibility that merging quark stars may produce gamma-ray bursts energetic enough to be at cosmological distances. Our idea based on the finite-temperature nontopologiocal soliton model overcomes major difficulties present in neutron star merger scenario --- the baryon loading problem and nonthermal spectra of the bursts.