Nuclear Pasta Structure in Hot Neutron Stars

Nuclear pasta structure in hot neutron stars

Structure of cold and hot dense matter at subnuclear densities is investigated by quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations. Obtained phase diagrams show that the density of the phase boundaries between the different nuclear structures decreases with increasing temperature due to the thermal expansion of nuclear matter region. At subnuclear densities, nuclear matter exhibits the coexistence ...

Nuclear structure from Nuclei to Neutron stars

Disordered nuclear pasta, magnetic field decay, and crust cooling in neutron stars.

Nuclear pasta, with nonspherical shapes, is expected near the base of the crust in neutron stars. Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of pasta show long lived topological defects that could increase electron scattering and reduce both the thermal and electrical conductivities. We model a possible low-conductivity pasta layer by increasing an impurity parameter Q_{imp}. Predictions of lig...

Thermodynamic properties of nuclear “pasta” in neutron star crusts

Equilibrium phase diagrams for neutron star matter at subnuclear densities are obtained at zero temperature. Spherical, rod-like and slab-like nuclei as well as spherical and rod-like nuclear bubbles are taken into account by using a compressible liquid-drop model. This model is designed to incorporate uncertainties in the nuclear surface tension and in the proton chemical potential in a gas of...

Formation of Nuclear “Pasta” in Cold Neutron Star Matter

Formation and decay of rod-like and slab-like nuclei, as may be encountered in the outer parts of neutron stars, are examined within a zero-temperature stability analysis with respect to perturbations inducing fission and proton clustering. The nonspherical nuclei are found to be stable against these perturbations, implying the possibility that the size of the stellar region containing such nuc...