Effect of strong magnetic fields on the pasta phase structure

TL;DR

This paper investigates how intense magnetic fields influence the structural properties of nuclear pasta phases in stellar matter, revealing potential stress implications due to magnetic fluctuations.

Contribution

It introduces a relativistic mean field model within a Thomas-Fermi approach to quantify magnetic effects on pasta structures in stellar environments.

Findings

Magnetic fields alter cluster and cell sizes in pasta phases.

Surface tension and configuration transitions are affected by magnetic strength.

Magnetic fluctuations could induce significant stresses in the pasta matter.

Abstract

The effect of strong magnetic fields on the properties of the pasta structures is calculated within a Thomas Fermi approach using relativistic mean field models to modulate stellar matter. It is shown how quantities such as the size of the clusters and Wigner-Seitz cells, the surface tension and the transition between configurations are affected. It is expected that these effects may give rise to large stresses in the pasta phase if the local magnetic field suffers fluctuations.