Symmetry energy effects in the neutron star properties

TL;DR

This paper investigates how different models of nuclear symmetry energy, consistent with experimental data, influence neutron star crust properties and align with astrophysical observations.

Contribution

It introduces various symmetry energy models within experimental constraints and explores their impact on neutron star crust characteristics.

Findings

Models agree with astrophysical data

Symmetry energy shape affects crust properties

Uncertainty in symmetry energy influences neutron star modeling

Abstract

The functional form of the nuclear symmetry energy has only been determined in a very narrow range of densities. Uncertainties concern both the low as well as the high density behaviour of this function. In this work different shapes of the symmetry energy, consistent with the experimental data, were introduced and their consequences for the crustal properties of neutron stars are presented. The resulting models are in agreement with astrophysical observations.