2009/02/28 by Andrew W. Steiner, Anna L. Watts
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph.HE #astro-ph.SR #nucl-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.103.181101
published as Phys.Rev.Lett.103:181101,2009 · 5 pages, 3 figures; Version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett
arxiv created 2009/10/23 · openalex publication_date 2009/10/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
We show that the fundamental seismic shear mode, observed as a quasiperiodic oscillation in giant flares emitted by highly magnetized neutron stars, is particularly sensitive to the nuclear physics of the crust. The identification of an oscillation at approximately 30 Hz as the fundamental crustal shear mode requires a nuclear symmetry energy that depends very weakly on density near saturation. If the nuclear symmetry energy varies more strongly with density, then lower frequency oscillations, previously identified as torsional Alfvén modes of the fluid core, could instead be associated with the crust. If this is the case, then future observations of giant flares should detect oscillations at around 18 Hz. An accurate measurement of the neutron-skin thickness of lead will also constrain the frequencies predicted by the model.