Nucleon Finite Volume Effect and Nuclear Matter Properties in a Relativistic Mean-Field Theory

Effects of excluded volume of nucleons on nuclear matter are studied, and the nuclear properties that follow from different relativistic mean-field model parametrizations are compared. We show that, for all tested parametrizations, the resulting volume energy al and the symmetry energy J are around the acceptable values of 16 MeV and 30 MeV, and the density symmetry L is around 100 MeV. On the other hand, models that consider only linear terms lead to incompressibility Ko much higher than expected. For most parameter sets there exists a critical point （pc, δc）, where the minimum and the maximum of the equation of state are coincident and the incompressibility equals zero. This critical point depends on the excluded volume parameter r. If this parameter is larger than 0.5 fm, there is no critical point and the pure neutron matter is predicted to be bound. The maximum value for neutron star mass is 1.85M⊙, which is in agreement with the mass of the heaviest observed neutron star 4U0900-40 and corresponds to r = 0.72 fm. We also show that the light neutron star mass （1.2M⊙） is obtained for r ≌ 0.9 fro.     

Hadron masses in medium and neutron star properties

We investigate the properties of the neutron star with relativistic mean-field models. We incorporate in the quantum hadrodynamics and in the quark-meson coupling models a possible reduction of meson masses in nuclear matter. The equation of state for neutron star matter is obtained and is employed in Oppenheimer-Volkov equation to extract the maximum mass of the stable neutron star. We find that the equation of state, the composition and the properties of the neutron stars are sensitive to the values of the meson masses in medium.     

Effect of Mesons f0(975) and $\phi(1020)$ and Variety of $U_\Xi^{(N)}$ on Properties of Neutron Star Matter

We examine the effect of adding mesons f₀(975) and $\phi(1020)$ as well as the variety of $U_\Xi^{(N)}$ (the potential well depth of $\Xi$ in nuclear matter) from -10 MeV to -28 MeV on the extent of the particles participation and the properties of the neutron star in the relativistic mean field model. We find that considering the contribution of f₀ and $\phi$ mesons, the equation of state of the neutron star turns soft, the maximum mass reduces while the corresponding radius increases. $\Xi^-$ hyperons appear at lower density as $U_\Xi^{(N)}$ becomes deeper, and the variety of $U_\Xi^{(N)}$ has little effect on the equation of state and the properties of the neutron star.     

Pesponse of the Neutron Star Properties to the Equation of State at Low Density

Using the RMF theory to describe the neutron liquid region in the neutron star and the Fermi gas model or FMT, BPS,and BBP model to describe the crust of the neutron star (referred as Fermi gas+RMF and RMF* respectively),the properties of the neutron star are calculated and compared with those from the RMF theory. Although the EOS at low density has negligible influence on the maximum mass of the neutron star, and its corresponding central density, energy density, and pressure, it changes the mass-radius relationship of neutron stars considerably. The differences of the neutron star radius corresponding to maximum mass between the RMF theory and RMF* calculations are 0.23-0.33 km.     

Hyperons in neutron stars

Generalized beta equilibrium involving nucleons, hyperons and isobars is examined for neutron star matter. The hyperons produce a considerable softening of the equation of state. It is shown that the observed masses of neutron stars can be used to settle a recent controversy concerning the nuclear compressibility. Compressibilities less than 200 MeV are incompatible with observed masses.     

K0 Condensation in Hyperonic Neutron Star Matter

In the framework of the relativistic mean field theory, we investigate K^0 condensation along with K^- condensation in neutron star matter including the baryon octet. The results show that both K^0 and K^- condensations can occur well in the core of the maximum mass stars for relatively shallow optical potentials of K^- in the range of-100 MeV～ -160 MeV. With the increasing optical potential of K^-, the critical densities of K^- decrease and the species of baryons appearing in neutron stars become fewer. The main role of K^0 condensation is to make the abundances of particles become identical leading to isospin saturated symmetric matter including antikaons, nucleons and hyperons. K^- condensation is chiefly responsible for the softening of the corresponding equation of state, which leads to a large reduction in the maximum masses of neutron stars. In the core of massive neutron stars, neutron star matter including rich particle species, such as antikaons, nucleons and hyperons, may exist.     

Phase Transitions in Neutron Stars Within Modified Quark-Meson Coupling Model

K^- condensation and quark deconfinement phase transitions in neutron stars are investigated. We use the modified quark-meson coupling model for hadronic phase and the MIT bag model for quark phase. With the equation of state (EOS) solved self-consistently, we discuss the properties of neutron stars. We find that the EOS of pure hadron matter with condensed K^- phase should be ruled out by the redshift for star EXO0748-676, while EOS containing unpaired quark matter phase with B^1/4 being about 180 MeV could be consistent with both this observation and the best measured mass of star PSR 1913+16. But if the recent inferred massive star among Terzan 5 with M>1.68M_๏ is confirmed, all the present EOSes with condensed phase and deconfined phase would be ruled out.     

Ultimate energy density of observable cold baryonic matter

We demonstrate that the largest measured mass of a neutron star establishes an upper bound to the energy density of observable cold baryonic matter. An equation of state-independent expression satisfied by both normal neutron stars and self-bound quark matter stars is derived for the largest energy density of matter inside stars as a function of their masses. The largest observed mass sets the lowest upper limit to the density. Implications from existing and future neutron star mass measurements are discussed.     

中子辐射俘获反应机制的质量能量相关性研究

对A?<10?0核质量区内的核素,研究中子辐射俘获反应中不同反应机制对辐射俘获截面的贡献随靶核质量数和中子入射能量变化的规律.所考虑的反应机制有复合核统计过程和复合核弹性散射道中的辐射俘获及形状弹性散射道中的直接–半直接辐射俘获两种非统计过程.在中子入射能量0.1—20MeV区间,给出了²⁷Al,⁴⁰Ca,⁶³Cu和⁹³Nb的理论计算结果及与实验数据的比较,并对呈现的变化规律进行了分析讨论     

Durabiity of Neutron Star Crust

How long do neutron star mountains last? The durability of elastically deformed crust is important for neutron star physics including pulsar glitches, emission of gravitational waves from static mountains, and flares from star quakes. The durability is defined by the strength properties of the Yukawa crystals of ions, which make up the crust. In this paper we extend our previous results [Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 407 , L54 (2010)] and accurately describe the dependence of the durability on crust composition (which can be reduced to the dependence on the screening length λ of the Yukawa potential). We perform several molecular dynamics simulations of crust breaking and describe their results with a phenomenological model based on the kinetic theory of strength. We provide an analytical expression for the durability of neutron star crust matter for different densities, temperatures, stresses, and compositions. This expression can also be applied to estimate durability of Yukawa crystals in other systems, such as dusty plasmas in the laboratory (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Neutral color-spin-locking phase in neutron stars

We present results for the spin-1 color-spin-locking (CSL) phase using a NJL-type model in two-flavor quark matter for compact stars applications. The CSL condensate is flavor symmetric and therefore charge and color neutrality can easily be satisfied. We find small energy gaps ≃ 1MeV, which make the CSL matter composition and the EoS not very different from the normal quark matter phase. We keep finite quark masses in our calculations and obtain no gapless modes that could have strong consequences in the late cooling of neutron stars. Finally, we show that the region of the phase diagram relevant for neutron star cores, when asymmetric flavor pairing is suppressed, could be covered by the CSL phase.     

Vacuum renormalization of the chiral-sigma model and the structure of neutron stars

Vacuum renormalization corrections are calculated for normal nuclear matter and neutron star matter in the chiral-sigma model. The theory is generalized to include hyperons in equilibrium with nucleons and leptons. The equations of state corresponding to two compression moduli, a “stiff” and “soft” one for nuclear matter, are studied. It is shown that fully one half the mass of a neutron star at the limiting mass is composed of matter at less than twice nuclear density. Neutron star masses are therefore moderately sensitive to the properties of matter near saturation and to the domain of the hyperons, but dominated by neither. The predictions for the two equations of state are compared with observed neutron star masses, and only the stiffer is compatible.     

\bar{K} Condensation in Neutron Star Matter with Δ Quartet

In the framework of relativistic mean field theory, the condensations of K^- and \bar{K}⁰ in neutron star matter including baryon octet and Δ quartet are studied. We find that in this case K^- and \bar{K}⁰ condensations canoccur at relative shallow optical potential depth of \bar{K} from -80 MeV to -160 MeV. Both K^- and \bar{K}⁰ condensations favor the appearances of Δ resonances. With \bar{K} condensations all the Δ quartet can appear well inside the maximum mass stars. The appearances of Δ resonances change the composition and distribution of particles at high densities. The populations ofΔ resonances can enhance K^- condensation. It is found that in the core of massive neutron stars, neutron star matter includes rich particle species, such as antikaons, baryon octet, and Δ quartet. In the presence of Δ resonances and \bar{K} condensation, the EOS becomes softer and results in smaller maximum mass stars. Furthermore the impact of antikaon condensations,hyperons, and Δ resonances on direct Urca process with nucleons is also discussed briefly.     

Phase transition to color-flavor-locked matter and condensation of Goldstone bosons in neutron star matter

Deconfinement phase transition and condensation of Goldstone bosons in neutron star matter are investigated in a chiral hadronic model (also referred as to the FST model) for the hadronic phase (HP) and in the color-flavor-locked (CFL) quark model for the deconfined quark phase. It is shown that the hadronic-CFL mixed phase (MP) exists in the center of neutron stars with a small bag constant, while the CFL quark matter cannot appear in neutron stars when a large bag constant is taken. Color superconductivity softens the equation of state (EOS) and decreases the maximum mass of neutron stars compared with the unpaired quark matter. The K⁰ condensation in the CFL phase has no remarkable contribution to the EOS and properties of neutron star matter. The EOS and the properties of neutron star matter are sensitive to the bag constant B, the strange quark mass m_s and the color superconducting gap Δ. Increasing B and m_s or decreasing Δ can stiffen the EOS which results in the larger maximum masses of neutron stars.     

核物质对称能斜率对快转中子星性质的约束（英文）

在过去的十余年中,对非对称核物质的对称能的研究无论从实验还是理论上都取得了较大的突破,这对中子结构及其物态方程的理解具有十分重要的意义。本研究将采用一个相对保守的对称能斜率范围(25 Me VL105Me V)来研究其对快速转动中子星性质的约束,这些性质包括:质量-半径关系、转动惯量、引力红移以及转动形变等。通过该对称能斜率的约束,发现典型中子星(M=1.4M⊙)的半径约束在10.28～13.43 km范围内,这与最近的相关观测相一致。如果观察发现了质量较小的毫秒脉冲星,则将为核物质的对称能较软提供有效的证据。另外还发现,对角动量的一致性可为快转中子星转动惯量的上限提供约束。最后,根据具有低质量伴星的双星EXO0748-676的红移观测,给出了该脉冲星的质量下限(1.5M⊙)。     

Accreting neutron stars as probes of dense matter physics

There are over 100 accreting neutron stars in our galaxy, in which matter (typically H/He) is tidally transferred from a secondary companion to the neutron star. Accretion of this matter perturbs the thermal structure of the interior away from that of an isolated cooling neutron star. In this paper. we review how this accretion induces reactions in the crust of the neutron star that keep the interior hot. If the accretion is intermittent, then the heated surface layers are directly observable when accretion stops. This heating also affects the unstable ignition of light elements in the neutron star envelope. Observations of the neutron star cooling following an accretion outburst can in principle constrain the thermal properties of the crust and core.     

Influences of the bag constant on properties of hybrid stars

Influences of the bag constant on the properties of hybrid stars are investigated by using relativistic mean field theory and the MIT bag model to describe the hadron phase and quark phase in the interior of neutron stars, respectively. Our results indicate that the onset of hadron-quark phase transition is put off and the appearance of hyperon species is increased with the increase in bag constant. As a result, the hybrid star equation of state for a mixed phase range stiffens whereas that of the quark phase range softens, and the gravitational mass as well as the corresponding radius of hybrid stars are increased obviously. The gravitational mass of a hybrid star is increased from 1.42 Mo (M<,⊙> is solar mass) to 1.63M<,⊙> and the corresponding radius is changed from 9.1 km to 12.2 km when the bag constant (B<'1/4>) is increased from 170 MeV to 200 MeV. It is interesting to find that hybrid star equations of state become non-smooth when the TM2 parameter sets in the framework of relativistic mean field theory used to describe the hadronic matter, and consequently, the third family of compact stars appear in the mass-radius relations of hybrid stars in the narrow scope of the bag constant from 175 MeV to 180 MeV. These show that the choice of the bag constant in the MIT bag model has significant influence on the properties of hybrid stars.     

Slowly rotating neutron stars and hadronic stars in the chiral SU(3) quark mean-field model

The equations of state for neutron matter, strange and non-strange hadronic matter in the chiral SU(3) quark mean-field model are applied in the study of slowly rotating neutron stars and hadronic stars. The radius, mass, moment of inertia, and other physical quantities are carefully examined. The effect of the nucleon crust for the strange hadronic star is exhibited. Our results show that the rotation can increase the maximum mass of compact stars significantly. For a big enough mass of pulsars which cannot be explained as strange hadronic stars, theoretical approaches to increase the maximum mass are addressed.