Energy density functional for nuclei and neutron stars

被引:98
作者
Erler, J. [1 ,2 ,3 ]
Horowitz, C. J. [1 ,2 ,4 ,5 ]
Nazarewicz, W. [1 ,2 ,6 ]
Rafalski, M. [1 ,2 ]
Reinhard, P. -G. [7 ]
机构
[1] Univ Tennessee, Dept Phys & Astron, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
[2] Oak Ridge Natl Lab, Div Phys, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 USA
[3] German Canc Res Ctr, Div Biophys Macromol, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
[4] Indiana Univ, Dept Phys, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
[5] Indiana Univ, CEEM, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
[6] Univ Warsaw, Inst Theoret Phys, PL-00681 Warsaw, Poland
[7] Univ Erlangen Nurnberg, Inst Theoret Phys 2, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
来源
PHYSICAL REVIEW C | 2013年 / 87卷 / 04期
关键词
EQUATION-OF-STATE; HYBRID STARS; RADIUS; MODELS; MASS;
D O I
10.1103/PhysRevC.87.044320
中图分类号
O57 [原子核物理学、高能物理学];
学科分类号
070202 ;
摘要
Background: Recent observational data on neutron star masses and radii provide stringent constraints on the equation of state of neutron rich matter [Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 62, 485 (2012)]. Purpose: We aim to develop a nuclear energy density functional that can be simultaneously applied to finite nuclei and neutron stars. Methods: We use the self-consistent nuclear density functional theory (DFT) with Skyrme energy density functionals and covariance analysis to assess correlations between observables for finite nuclei and neutron stars. In a first step two energy functionals-a high density energy functional giving reasonable neutron properties, and a low density functional fitted to nuclear properties-are matched. In a second step, we optimize a new functional using exactly the same protocol as in earlier studies pertaining to nuclei but now including neutron star data. This allows direct comparisons of performance of the new functional relative to the standard one. Results: The new functional TOV-min yields results for nuclear bulk properties (energy, rms radius, diffraction radius, and surface thickness) that are of the same quality as those obtained with the established Skyrme functionals, including SV-min. When comparing SV-min and TOV-min, isoscalar nuclear matter indicators vary slightly while isovector properties are changed considerably. We discuss neutron skins, dipole polarizability, separation energies of the heaviest elements, and proton and neutron drip lines. We confirm a correlation between the neutron skin of Pb-208 and the neutron star radius. Conclusions: We demonstrate that standard energy density functionals optimized to nuclear data do not carry information on the expected maximum neutron star mass, and that predictions can only be made within an extremely broad uncertainty band. For atomic nuclei, the new functional TOV-min performs at least as well as the standard nuclear functionals, but it also reproduces expected neutron star data within assumed error bands. This functional is expected to yield more reliable predictions in the region of very neutron rich heavy nuclei. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.044320
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页数:10
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