Non-Uniform Structure of Matter and the Equation of State

TL;DR

This paper studies the non-uniform 'Pasta' structures in nuclear matter during first-order phase transitions and how they influence the equation of state, emphasizing self-consistent treatment of Coulomb and surface effects.

Contribution

It provides a self-consistent analysis of non-uniform structures and their impact on the EOS during various first-order phase transitions in nuclear matter.

Findings

Mixed phases exhibit 'Pasta' structures due to Coulomb and surface tension effects.

The EOS of mixed phases approaches Maxwell construction because of Debye screening.

Self-consistent treatment of Coulomb and surface effects is essential for accurate modeling.

Abstract

We investigate the non-uniform structures and the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter in the context of the first-order phase transitions (FOPT) such as liquid-gas phase transition, kaon condensation, and hadron-quark phase transition. During FOPT the mixed phases appear, where matter exhibits non-uniform structures called ``Pasta'' structures due to the balance of the Coulomb repulsion and the surface tension between two phases. We treat these effects self-consistently, properly taking into account of the Poisson equation and the Gibbs conditions. Consequently, they make the EOS of the mixed phase closer to that of Maxwell construction due to the Debye screening. This is a general feature of the mixed phase consisting of many species of charged particles.