Effects of the symmetry energy on properties of neutron star crusts near the neutron drip density

Abstract

We study the effects of the symmetry energy on the neutron drip density and properties of nuclei in neutron star crusts. The nonuniform matter around the neutron drip point is calculated by using the Thomas--Fermi approximation with the relativistic mean-field model. The neutron drip density and the composition of the crust are found to be correlated with the symmetry energy and its slope. We compare the self-consistent Thomas--Fermi approximation with other treatments of surface and Coulomb energies and find that these finite-size effects play an essential role in determining the equilibrium state at low density.

33 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

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• Hadron-quark mixed phase in the quark-meson coupling model
• Role of the symmetry energy on the neutron-drip transition in accreting and nonaccreting neutron stars
• Hot neutron stars and their equation of state
• Properties of neutron star described by a relativistic $abinitio$ model
• Hyperons in the pasta phase
• Crust-core transition of a neutron star: effect of the temperature under strong magnetic fields
• Strong magnetic fields: neutron stars with an extended inner crust
• Nuclear pasta in hot and dense matter and its influence on the equation of state for astrophysical simulations
• Equation of state and neutrino transfer in supernovae and neutron stars
• Landau parameters and entrainment matrix of cold stellar matter: effect of the symmetry energy and strong magnetic fields