| Abstract: | An extremely simple form for the energy density of a nuclear many-body system derived from the two-body nucleon-nucleon interaction is used to determine the ground state configuration of matter at sub-nuclear density. As the baryon density is increased, nuclei become progressively more neutron rich until neutrons eventually escape, yielding a Coulomb lattice of bound neutron and proton clusters surrounded by a dilute neutron gas. The clusters enlarge and the lattice constant decreases with increasing density, approaching a completely uniform state near nuclear density. |
