Cluster formation in compact stars: relativistic versus Skyrme models

TL;DR

This paper compares relativistic and Skyrme models to analyze cluster formation and liquid-gas instabilities in nuclear and compact-star matter, providing insights into neutron-star crusts and supernova dynamics.

Contribution

It offers a comparative analysis of relativistic and Skyrme models in predicting cluster formation and instabilities in nuclear matter relevant to astrophysical phenomena.

Findings

Relativistic and Skyrme models predict similar instability regions.

Clusterization occurs at sub-saturation densities in both models.

Implications for neutron-star crust and supernova modeling.

Abstract

We present various properties of nuclear and compact-star matter, comparing the predictions from two kinds of phenomenological approaches: relativistic models (both with constant and density-dependent couplings) and non-relativistic Skyrme-type interactions. We mainly focus on the liquid-gas instabilities that occur at sub-saturation densities, leading to the decomposition of the homogeneous matter into a clusterized phase. Such study is related to the description of neutron-star crust (at zero temperature) and of supernova dynamics (at finite temperature).