The Neutron Star Crust: Nuclear Physics Input
arXiv:0711.1812 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.77.035805
Abstract
A fully self-consistent model of the neutron star inner crust based upon models of the nucleonic equation of state at zero temperature is constructed. The results nearly match those of previous calculations of the inner crust given the same input equation of state. The extent to which the uncertainties in the symmetry energy, the compressibility, and the equation of state of low-density neutron matter affect the composition of the crust are examined. The composition and pressure of the crust is sensitive to the description of low-density neutron matter and the nuclear symmetry energy, and the latter dependence is non-monotonic, giving larger nuclei for moderate symmetry energies and smaller nuclei for more extreme symmetry energies. Future nuclear experiments may help constrain the crust and future astrophysical observations may constrain the nuclear physics input.
9 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to PRC
References in corpus (5)
- Neutron-Rich Nuclei in Heaven and Earth
- Strongly paired fermions: Cold atoms and neutron matter
- On the validity of the Wigner-Seitz approximation in neutron star crust
- Upper edge of the neutron star crust : the drip point and around
- From Microscales to Macroscales in 3D: Selfconsistent Equation of State for Supernova and Neutron Star Models