Role of nucleonic Fermi surface depletion in neutron star cooling

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the depletion of the nucleonic Fermi surface affects neutron star cooling, showing that it reduces neutrino emission and superfluidity, thereby slowing the cooling process of young neutron stars.

Contribution

It provides a microscopic calculation of Fermi surface depletion effects on neutron star thermal properties using the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach with AV18 force.

Findings

Fermi surface depletion reduces neutrino emissivity.

Heat capacity and superfluidity are significantly decreased.

Cooling rates of young neutron stars are slowed.

Abstract

The Fermi surface depletion of beta-stable nuclear matter is calculated to study its effects on several physical properties which determine the neutron star thermal evolution. The neutron and proton Z factors measuring the corresponding Fermi surface depletions, are calculated within the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach employing the AV18 two-body force supplemented by a microscopic three body force. Neutrino emissivity, heat capacity and, in particular, neutron 3PF2 superfluidity turn out to be reduced, especially at high baryonic density, to such an extent that the cooling rates of young neutron stars are significantly slowed