Neutron Star Model

Eduardo Jeraldo
Physics Science Department, University Andres Bello, Santiago de hile
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Neutron stars are a(out /F to 8F 6m in diameter and have a mass o' a(out /#: times that o' our Sun# Because o' its small si"e and high density, a neutron star possesses a sur'ace gravitational 'ield a(out times that o' the Earth# %his stars are among the most e9otic o(Aects in the universe# A lump o' neutron star matter the si"e o' a sugar cu(e .ould .eigh as much as all humanity, and the stars have magnetic 'ields a trillion times EarthHs# Since .e canHt reproduce such conditions in la(oratories, .e have to o(serve neutron stars .ith telescopes to 'igure out their properties# Neutron stars are one o' the possi(le end states 'or a massive star# %hey result 'rom massive stars .hich have mass greater than @G times that o' our Sun# A'ter these stars have Lnished (urning their nuclear 'uel, they undergo a supernova *type &&, &( or &c- e9plosion# %his e9plosion (lo.s o'' the outer layers o' a star into a (eauti'ul supernova remnant# %he central region o' the star collapses under gravity# &t collapses so much that protons and electrons com(ine to 'orm neutrons# Neutron stars may appear in supernova remnants, as isolated o(Aects, or in (inary systems# 3ne neutron star has even (een 'ound to have planets# ?hen a neutron star is in a (inary system, astronomers are a(le to measure its mass# !rom a num(er o' such (inaries seen .ith radio or K)ray telescopes, the neutron star mass has (een 'ound to (e close to have masses o' a(out /#: times the mass o' the Sun# !or (inary systems containing an un6no.n o(Aect, this in'ormation helps distinguish .hether the o(Aect is a neutron star or a (lac6 hole, since (lac6 holes are more massive than neutron stars# %he 6ey uncertainty in neutron stars models is the e$uation o' state o' nuclear matter, particularly a(ove nuclear densities# &n spite o' considera(le progress in recent years, there are still some important theoretical issues that remain to (e resolved# &t is nevertheless interesting that our present understanding o' condensed matter is already ade$uate to place rather stringent limits on the masses o' sta(le neutron stars# %he cross)section o' a neutron star can roughly (e divided into 'our distinct regions7 %he atmosphere .hich is only a 'e. ;cm< thic6# %he outer crust .hich consists essentially in .hite d.ar' matter# %he outer crust envelops the inner crust, .hich e9tends 'rom the neutron drip density to a transition density # Beyond the transition density one enters the core, .here all atomic nuclei have !ermi pressure, the core might also contain hyperons, more massive (aryon resonances, and possi(ly a gas o' 'ree up, do.n and strange $uar6s# !inally, ) and =)meson condensates may (e 'ound there too# %his is the typical structure given (y a neutron star model

%he neutron star can (e in a (inary system .hit a neutron star or .ith a (lac6 hole# Studying neutron stars gives us access to e9otic realms that .e canIt e9plore on Earth# an help us to 'ind (lac6 holes# Density at center can (e several times the density o' an atomic nucleus, so .e canHt e9plore this regime in la(oratories# %he properties o' this matter are un6no.n, and may include such e9otic things as enormous conglomerations o' $uar6s# Magnetic 'ields are trillion time EarthHs, and more tan a million times as strong as can (e archived in la(oratories# Matter in central parts o' neutron stars is thought to (e a superconductor, event at a hundred million degreesM Because o' the uncertainties in the e$uation o' state, o(servations o' masses and radii are instead used to test theories o' nuclear physicsM Due the 'act that o(ey a mass)volume relation, .hit the increasing o' the mass the neutron star (ecome smaller and more dense# But .hen e9ceed a mass o' 8,8 (ecomes a (lac6 hole# Many o' the points made in the poster change i' the neutron star rotates rapidly# &' the star has a large radius *E/N 6m-, it .as relatively success'ul in resisting gravity and thus has a very sti'' e$uation o' state# &' the star has a small radius *GE6m-, it .as not as success'ul in resisting gravity and it has a so'ter e$uation o' state# %he 'luid o' 'ree neutrons has the stri6ing property that is has no viscosity# Thegravitationalfieldatthestar'ssurfaceisabouttimesstrongerthanonEarth.Suchastronggravitationalfieldactsasagravitationallens. %he 'lu9 o' a magnetic 'ield through a sur'ace S is de'ined as the sur'ace integral , .here B is the magnetic 'ield vector# &n appro9imate terms, i' .e ignore the geometry o' the magnetic 'ield, this means that the product o' the magnetic 'ield strength and the area o' the starIs sur'ace remains constant# %hus # %o estimate the magnetic 'ield o' a neutron star, .e must 'irst 6no. .hat the strength o' the magnetic 'ield is 'or the iron core o' a pre)supernova star# Although this is not at all clear, .e can use the largest o(served .hite)d.ar' magnetic 'ield o' as an e9treme case, .hich is large compared to a typical J .hite)d.ar' magnetic 'ield o' perhaps , and huge compared .ith the SunIs glo(al 'ield o' a(out %hen the magnetic 'ield o' the neutron star .ould (e7

Neutron Star Structure

!ree"ing in

%his sho.s that neutron stars could (e 'ormed .ith e9tremely strong magnetic 'ields, although smaller values such as or less are more typical#

Transition density ()

Composition &ron nuclei, nonrelativistic 'ree electrons electrons (ecome relativistic &ron nuclei, relativistic 'ree electrons neutroni"ation neutron)rich nuclei, relativistic 'ree electrons neutron drip neutron)rich nuclei, 'ree neutrons, relativistic 'ree electrons neutron degeneracy pressure dominates neutron)rich nuclei, super'luid 'ree neutrons, relativistic 'ree electrons nuclei dissolve super'luid 'ree neutrons, superconducting 'ree protons, relativistic 'ree electrons pion production Super'luid 'ree neutrons, superconducting 'ree protons, relativistic 'ree electrons,

Degeneracy pressure electron

electron

electron

electron

neutron

neutron

%he 'irst $uantitative model o' a neutron star .as calculated in /010 (y J# 2o(ert 3ppenheimer and 4# M# 5ol6o'' at Ber6eley# %his ta(le summari"es the composition o' the neutron star material at various densities and gives a notion a(out the usual neutron star model# A'ter an e$uation o' state that relates the density and pressure has (een o(tained, a model o' the star can (e calculated (y numerically integrating general) relativistic versions o' stellar structure e$uations# %he models displays some typical 'eatures7 /# %he outer crust consist o' heavy nuclei# 8# %he inner crust consists in a mi9ture o' a lattice o' nuclei, a super'luid o' 'ree neutrons, and relativistic degenerate electrons# 1# %he interior consist o'

Neutron Star Model State E$uation

%emperat ures

%hey .ere e9tremely hot .hen they .ere 'orged in the J'iresJ o' a supernova, .ith # During the 'irst day, the neutron star cools (y emitting neutrinos via the so)called URCA process,

?e .ant to 6no. the properties o' the e9tremely dense matter in the center o' neutron stars# 3ne .ay to characteri"e the matter is (y itHs equation of state. %he e$uation o' state can (e pictured as the relation (et.een the density o' matter and itHs pressure# %he properties o' the neutron star material .hen are still poorly understood# A complete theoretical description o' the (ehavior o' a sea o' 'ree neutrons interacting via the strong nuclear 'orce in the presence o' protons and electrons is not yet availa(le, and there is little e9perimental data on the (ehavior o' matter in this density range# A 'urther complication is the appearance o' su()nuclear particles such as pions *- produced (y the decay o' a neutron into a proton and a negatively charged pion, , .hich occurs spontaneously in neutron stars .hen # Nevertheless, these are the values o' the density encountered in the interiors o' neutron stars, and the di''iculties mentioned are the primary reasons 'or the uncertainty in the structure calculated 'or model neutron stars#

As the nucleons shuttle (et.een (eing neutrons and (eing protons, large num(ers o' neutrinos and antineutrinos are produced that 'ly unhindered into space, carrying a.ay energy and thus cooling the neutron star# %his process can continue only as long as the nucleons are not degenerate, and it is suppressed a'ter the protons and neutrons settle into the lo.est unoccupied energy states# %his degeneracy occurs a(out one day a'ter the 'ormation o' the neutron star, .hen its internal temperature has dropped to a(out # # 3ther neutrino)emitting processes continue to dominate the cooling 'or appro9imately the 'irst /FF years, a'ter .hich photons emitted 'rom the starIs sur'ace ta6e over# %he neutron star is a 'e. hundred years old .hen its internal temperature has declined to , .ith a sur'ace temperature o' several million =# By no. the cooling has slo.ed considera(ly, and the sur'ace temperature .ill hover around 'or the ne9t /F thousand years or so as the neutron star cools at an essentially constant radius# &t is interesting to calculate the (lac6(ody luminosity o' a neutron star .ith a sur'ace temperature o' # !rom the Ste'an)Bolt"mann la., # Although this is compara(le to the luminosity o' the Sun, the radiation is primarily in the 'orm o' K)rays since, according to ?ienIs displacement la., Prior to the advent o' K)ray o(servatories, astronomers held little hope o' ever o(serving such an e9otic o(Aect#
Any dou(ts,# e#Jeraldo>uandres(ello#edu !or 'urther discussions, you can revie. the ne9t te9ts7 arrol B# ?#, 3stlie D# A#, An introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Pearson, Second Edition, hapter /@#@ amen"ind, ompact 3(Aects in Astrophysics, Springer , hapter @ Stuart B# Shapiro, Saul A# %eu6ols6y, Blac6 Coles, ?hite D.ar's, and Neutron Stars %he Physics o' ompact 3(Aects, ?iley, hapter 0 ole Miller, Blac6 Coles and Neutron Stars, http7DD...#astro#umd#eduDEmillerDposter/#html, 8F/1, University o' hicago M# oleman Miller, &ntroduction to neutron stars, http7DD...#astro#umd#eduDEmillerDnstar#html, 8F/1, University o' maryland