Neutron-proton effective mass splitting and thermal evolution in neutron rich matter

TL;DR

This paper investigates how neutron-proton effective mass differences influence the thermal properties of neutron-rich nuclear matter using non-relativistic mean field theory with finite range interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of the impact of neutron-proton effective mass splitting on the thermal evolution of asymmetric nuclear matter.

Findings

Different behaviors in thermal evolution depending on mass splitting magnitude

Identification of two distinct thermal evolution patterns

Insights into the connection between effective mass splitting and thermodynamic properties

Abstract

The thermal evolution of properties of neutron rich asymmetric nuclear matter such as entropy density, internal energy density, free energy density and pressure are studied in the non-relativistic mean field theory using finite range effective interactions. In this framework the thermal evolution of nuclear matter properties is directly connected to the neutron and proton effective mass properties. Depending on the magnitude of neutron-proton effective mass splittings, two distinct behaviours in the thermal evolution of nuclear matter properties are noticed.