Accurate nuclear symmetry energy at finite temperature within a BHF approach

TL;DR

This paper calculates the free energy of asymmetric nuclear matter at finite temperature using a Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach, focusing on symmetry energies and their impact on neutron star structure.

Contribution

It provides new calculations of symmetry energies at finite temperature within a BHF framework, including parametrizations and analysis of isospin dependence.

Findings

Small deviations from quadratic isospin dependence.

Negligible effects on (proto)neutron star structure.

Provides detailed symmetry energy functions as a function of density and temperature.

Abstract

We compute the free energy of asymmetric nuclear matter in a Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach at finite temperature, paying particular attention to the dependence on isospin asymmetry. The first- and second-order symmetry energies are determined as functions of density and temperature and useful parametrizations are provided. We find small deviations from the quadratic isospin dependence and very small corresponding effects on (proto)neutron star structure.