The Elasticity of Nuclear Pasta

TL;DR

This study uses large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the elastic properties of nuclear pasta in neutron star crusts, revealing it may be the strongest known material with high shear modulus and breaking strain.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed simulation-based analysis of nuclear pasta's elasticity, including deformation and breaking mechanisms, highlighting its potential strength.

Findings

Nuclear pasta may have a shear modulus of around 10^{30} ergs/cm^3.

Nuclear pasta can sustain a breaking strain greater than 0.1.

Nuclear pasta could be the strongest known material.

Abstract

The elastic properties of neutron star crusts are relevant for a variety of currently observable or near-future electromagnetic and gravitational wave phenomena. These phenomena may depend on the elastic properties of nuclear pasta found in the inner crust. We present large scale classical molecular dynamics simulations where we deform nuclear pasta. We simulate idealized samples of nuclear pasta and describe their breaking mechanism. We also deform nuclear pasta that is arranged into many domains, similar to what is known for the ions in neutron star crusts. Our results show that nuclear pasta may be the strongest known material, perhaps with a shear modulus of $10^{30}\,\text{ergs/cm}^3$ and breaking strain greater than 0.1.