Isospin Asymmetry in Nuclei, Neutron Stars, and Heavy-Ion Collisions

Abstract

The roles of isospin asymmetry in nuclei and neutron stars are investigated using a range of potential and field-theoretical models of nucleonic matter. The parameters of these models are fixed by fitting the properties of homogeneous bulk matter and closed-shell nuclei. We discuss and unravel the causes of correlations among the neutron skin thickness in heavy nuclei, the pressure of beta-equilibrated matter at a density of 0.1 fm${}^{-3}$, and the radii of moderate mass neutron stars. The influence of symmetry energy on observables in heavy-ion collisions is summarized.

8 pages, 5 figures; Proceedings for the 21st Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamics, Breckenridge, Colorado, February 5-12, 2005; To appear in Heavy Ion Physics