Program

Neutron-rich nuclei in Heaven and Earth

Jorge Piekarewicz

Florida State University

Abstract:

An accurately calibrated relativistic parametrization is introduced to compute the ground state properties of finite nuclei, their linear response, and the structure of neutron stars. Among the predictions of this model are a symmetric nuclear-matter incompressibility of K=230 MeV and a neutron skin thickness in 208Pb of Rn-Rp=0.21 fm. Further, the impact of such a softening on the properties of neutron stars is as follows: the model predicts a limiting neutron star mass of Mmax=1.72 Msun, a radius of R=12.66 km for a ``canonical'' M=1.4 Msun neutron star, and no (nucleon) direct Urca cooling in neutrons stars with masses below M=1.3 Msun.


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