Neutron Stars and Neutron Skins: Connecting Finite Nuclei to Dense Matter

TL;DR

This paper reviews how measurements of neutron skin thickness in nuclei inform the understanding of neutron-rich matter and neutron star properties, integrating experimental data with theoretical models.

Contribution

It synthesizes multiple experimental probes and Bayesian analyses to connect finite nuclei properties with the dense matter equation of state.

Findings

Bayesian analyses constrain the symmetry energy and its slope.

Multiple experimental methods provide consistent insights into neutron skin and dense matter.

The overview links nuclear experiments to neutron star physics.

Abstract

This is a brief overview of the connection between neutron skin thickness in finite nuclei and the equation of state of neutron-rich matter, with applications to neutron stars. Multiple experimental probes are discussed, including dipole polarizability, parity-violating electron scattering, heavy-ion fragmentation, quasi-free scattering, and ultraperipheral collisions. A consistent picture emerges from Bayesian analyses combining experimental data and energy density functionals, providing constraints on the symmetry energy and its slope.