Nuclear symmetry energy effects on liquid-gas phase transition in hot asymmetric nuclear matter

The liquid-gas phase transition in hot asymmetric nuclear matter is investigated within the relativistic mean-field model using the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy constrained from the measured neutron skin thickness of finite nuclei. We find symmetry energy has a significant influence on several features of liquid-gas phase transition: the boundary and area of the liquid-gas coexistence region, the maximal isospin asymmetry, and the critical values of pressure and isospin asymmetry, all of which systematically increase with increasing softness in the density dependence of symmetry energy. The critical temperature below which the liquid-gas mixed phase exists is found higher for a softer symmetry energy.