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Neutron specific heat in the crust of neutron stars from the nuclear band theory

par Chamel, Nicolas ;Margueron, Jérôme;Khan, Elias
Référence Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics), 79, 1, page (012801)
Publication Publié, 2009-01-09

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

The inner crust of neutron stars, formed of a crystal lattice of nuclear clusters immersed in a sea of unbound neutrons, may be the unique example of periodic nuclear systems. We have calculated the neutron-specific heat in the shallow part of the crust using the band theory of solids with Skyrme nucleon-nucleon interactions. We have also tested the validity of various approximations. We have found that the neutron-specific heat is well described by that of a Fermi gas, while the motion of the unbound neutrons is strongly affected by the nuclear lattice. These apparently contradictory results are explained by the particular properties of the neutron Fermi surface.