Skyrme-based extrapolation for the static response of neutron matter

TL;DR

This paper develops a Skyrme-Hartree-Fock method to compute the static response of neutron matter under periodic external fields, providing a finite-size extrapolation scheme for ab initio studies of neutron-star matter.

Contribution

It introduces a novel finite-size extrapolation scheme using Skyrme-Hartree-Fock calculations for neutron matter in periodic conditions, applicable to the thermodynamic limit.

Findings

Static-response results for five Skyrme parametrizations.

A computational approach for finite-size extrapolation.

Significance for ab initio neutron matter studies.

Abstract

The study of inhomogeneous neutron matter can provide insights into the structure of neutron stars as well as their dynamics in neutron-star mergers. In this work we tackle pure neutron matter in the presence of a periodic external field by considering a finite (but potentially large) number of particles placed in periodic boundary conditions. We start with the simpler setting of a noninteracting gas and then switch to a Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach, showing static-response results for five distinct Skyrme parametrizations. We explain both the technical details of our computational approach, as well as the significance of these results as a general finite-size extrapolation scheme that may be used by ab initio practitioners to approach the static-response problem of neutron matter in the thermodynamic limit.