Constraining nuclear matter parameters from correlation systematics:a mean-field perspective

TL;DR

This paper reviews how nuclear matter parameters, derived from the nuclear equation of state, correlate with finite nuclei and neutron star properties, highlighting constraints and uncertainties within a mean-field framework.

Contribution

It systematically analyzes correlations between nuclear matter parameters and astrophysical as well as nuclear properties, proposing ways to refine bounds on higher-order parameters.

Findings

Lower order parameters are tightly constrained by finite nuclei properties.

Neutron star observations can narrow bounds on certain nuclear matter parameters.

Higher order parameters exhibit larger uncertainties and inter-correlation helps improve their bounds.

Abstract

The nuclear matter parameters define the nuclear equation of state (EoS), they appear as coefficients of expansion around the saturation density of symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter. We review their correlations with several properties of finite nuclei and of neutron stars within mean-field frameworks. The lower order nuclear matter parameters such as the binding energy per nucleon, incompressibility and the symmetry energy coefficients are found to be constrained in narrow limits through their strong ties with selective properties of finite nuclei. From the correlations of nuclear matter parameters with neutron star observables, we further review how precision knowledge of the radii and tidal deformability of neutron stars in the mass range $1 - 2 M_\odot$ may help cast them in narrower bounds. The higher order parameters such as the density slope and the curvature of the symmetry energy or the skewness of the symmetric nuclear matter EoS are, however, plagued with larger uncertainty. From inter-correlation of these higher order nuclear matter parameters with lower order ones, we explore how they can be brought to more harmonious bounds.