Equation of state of dense nuclear matter

Abstract

An equation of state for cold nuclear matter for the region of densities ρ nm−4 ρ nm, where ρ nm is empirical nuclear-matter density, is constructed. We begin from the detailed calculation of Day and Wiringa for the two-body interactions; these give a saturation density of ∼2 ρ nm. This density is brought down to ρ nm by the addition of relativistic corrections. Additional binding is obtained from three-body forces. A reasonable picture is obtained with the Day-Wiringa compression modulus for the two-body calculation, but the picture can be further improved by choosing this to be smaller. Our equation of state is similar to that of Friedman and Pandharipande in the region of nuclear matter denstiy ρ nm, but, due to higher-order terms in the loop correction, is substantially softer at high density. Basically what happens is that the many-body effects saturate with increasing density, leaving only the two-body interactions. With this equation of state, prompt supernova explosions are very powerful when the compression modulus of neutron-rich matter (twice as many neutrons as protons) is ∼150 MeV, which corresponds to K nm ∼ 190 MeV for symmetric nuclear matter. Analysis shows that hot nuclear matter formed in heavy ion collisions demands a very stiff equation of state. We understand this as arising from the strong velocity dependence in the real part of the optical model potential which follows chiefly from the Lorentz character of the interactions, the vector mean field growing with increasing density and the scalar one decreasing. This gives a substantial repulsive contribution to the energy per particle and produces a stiff effective equation of state for several hundred MeV heavy-ion collisions. With increasing degree of equilibration the magnitude of the repulsive energy decreases since equilibration decreases the effective momentum. Given the strong velocity dependence in the interaction, the hot equation of state can be reconciled with the cool one.