Thermal conductivity and phase separation of the crust of accreting neutron stars

Abstract

Recently, crust cooling times have been measured for neutron stars after extended outbursts. These observations are very sensitive to the thermal conductivity $\kappa$ of the crust and strongly suggest that $\kappa$ is large. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of the structure of the crust of an accreting neutron star using a complex composition that includes many impurities. The composition comes from simulations of rapid proton capture nucleosynthesys followed by electron captures. We find that the thermal conductivity is reduced by impurity scattering. In addition, we find phase separation. Some impurities with low atomic number $Z$ are concentrated in a subregion of the simulation volume. For our composition, the solid crust must separate into regions of different compositions. This could lead to an asymmetric star with a quadrupole deformation that radiates gravitational waves. Observations of crust cooling can constrain impurity concentrations.

arXiv comment8 pages, 8 figures, minor changes, PRE in press

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• Stochastic Dynamics and Bound States of Heavy Impurities in a Fermi Bath