Proto-Neutron Star Cooling with Convection: The Effect of the Symmetry Energy

TL;DR

This paper models neutrino emission from newly formed neutron stars to explore how convection and the nuclear symmetry energy influence observable signals, revealing potential signatures of high-density nuclear physics.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed model linking convection dynamics and symmetry energy behavior to neutrino emission patterns in proto-neutron stars.

Findings

Convection duration and extent depend on symmetry energy at high densities.

Observable neutrino emission breaks occur when convection ceases.

Neutrino signals can probe nuclear symmetry energy properties.

Abstract

We model neutrino emission from a newly born neutron star subsequent to a supernova explosion to study its sensitivity to the equation of state, neutrino opacities, and convective instabilities at high baryon density. We find the time period and spatial extent over which convection operates is sensitive to the behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy at and above nuclear density. When convection ends within the proto-neutron star, there is a break in the predicted neutrino emission that may be clearly observable.