2020/05/19 by Dorso, Claudio, Dunn, Jonathan, Strachan, Alejandro +1
#FOS: Physical sciences #Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2005.09142
This investigation explores the phononic thermal conductivity of nuclear star matter as it undergoes the "topological" transition to the "pasta" regime, and further down to the solid-liquid phase transition. The study was carried out using molecular dynamics simulations with nuclear potentials embedded in an effective (i.e. Thomas-Fermi) Coulomb potential. The thermal conductivity experiences a dramatic change within a narrow temperature interval around T=1 MeV. This change accomplishes the "pasta" breakdown during a heating process. The thermal conductivity by flipping protons' or neutrons' velocity further shows a decoupling for asymmetric nuclear star matter.