Crystal-liquid transition in metallic hydrogen

Using the functional approach to the theory of crystals, we show that, with an increase in pressure, the zero-point vibrations of the crystal lattice break it down. From comparison of the pressure functionals for the crystalline and liquid phase of metallic hydrogen, we obtain a lower estimate for the critical density in the low-temperature limit.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 169, pp. 12–17, 1988.