Renormalization group approach to neutron matter: quasiparticle interactions, superfluid gaps and the equation of state

Abstract

Renormalization group methods can be applied to the nuclear many-body problem using the approach proposed by Shankar. We start with the two-body low momentum interaction V low k and use the RG flow from the particle–hole channels to calculate the full scattering amplitude in the vicinity of the Fermi surface. This is a new straightforward approach to the many-body problem which is applicable also to condensed matter systems without long-range interactions, such as liquid 3He. We derive the one-loop renormalization group equations for the quasiparticle interaction and the scattering amplitude at zero temperature. The RG presents an elegant method to maintain all momentum scales and preserve the antisymmetry of the scattering amplitude. As a first application we solve the RG equations for neutron matter. The resulting quasiparticle interaction includes effects due to the polarization of the medium, the so-called induced interaction of Babu and Brown. We present results for the Fermi liquid parameters, the equation of state of neutron matter and the 1S 0 superfluid pairing gap.