Thermostatic properties of symmetric nuclear matter

Abstract

The thermostatic properties of symmetric nuclear matter are calculated by extension of a recent Thomas-Fermi approach to ground-state nuclei by Myers and Swiatecki [1]. We have computed the free energy per nucleon f( T, n) in Landau's quasiparticle approximation and have derived from it the relevant thermostatic properties. In view of its application to finite excited nuclei, the degenerate limit of nuclear matter is discussed in particular. As an interesting result we find at higher temperatures van-der-Waals-like isotherms in the p- n plane. Below the critical temperature T c = 17.3 MeV two phases of nuclear matter, liquid and vapour, are defined by these. Comparing these results with the reduced phase transition data of 3He, 4He, and “inert gases,” we find that nuclear matter is similar to the He-isotopes, but differs considerably from the inert gases.