Correlations imposed by the unitary limit between few-nucleon systems, nuclear matter and neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper explores how the near-unitary limit of nucleon interactions constrains properties of nuclear matter and neutron stars, linking few-nucleon physics to astrophysical phenomena through universal low-energy correlations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that key properties of nuclear matter and neutron stars can be predicted from low-energy few-nucleon observables, establishing a direct connection between universal few-body behavior and astrophysical objects.

Findings

Saturation properties of nuclear matter are determined by few low-energy parameters.

Equation of state of $eta$-stable nuclear matter is constrained by few-nucleon data.

Maximum mass of neutron stars correlates with low-energy few-nucleon observables.

Abstract

The large values of the singlet and triplet two-nucleon scattering lengths locate the nuclear system close to the unitary limit. This particular position strongly constrains the low-energy observables in the three-nucleon system as depending on one parameter, the triton binding energy, and introduces correlations in the low energy sector of light nuclei. Here we analyze the propagation of these correlations to infinite nuclear matter showing that its saturation properties, the equation of state of $\beta$-stable nuclear matter and several properties of neutron stars, as their maximum mass, are well determined solely by a few number of low-energy quantities of the two- and three-nucleon systems. In this way we make a direct link between the universal behavior observed in the low-energy region of few-nucleon systems and fundamental properties of nuclear matter and neutron stars.