Warm pasta phase in the Thomas-Fermi approximation

TL;DR

This paper investigates the finite-temperature pasta phase in nuclear matter using the Thomas-Fermi approximation, revealing a richer phase structure and higher transition densities compared to previous phase-coexistence models.

Contribution

It introduces a finite-temperature Thomas-Fermi approach with relativistic mean field models to study the nuclear pasta phase, providing new insights into its structure and transition densities.

Findings

Richer inner pasta phase structure identified

Homogeneous matter appears at higher densities

Transition densities compared with other methods

Abstract

In the present paper, the pasta phase is studied at finite temperatures within a Thomas-Fermi (TF) approach. Relativistic mean field models, both with constant and density-dependent couplings, are used to describe this frustrated system. We compare the present results with previous ones obtained within a phase-coexistence description and conclude that the TF approximation gives rise to a richer inner pasta phase structure and the homogeneous matter appears at higher densities. Finally, the transition density calculated within TF is compared with the results for this quantity obtained with other methods.