Phase separation in the crust of accreting neutron stars

C. J. Horowitz, D. K. Berry, and E. F. Brown

Phys. Rev. E 75, 066101 – Published 4 June 2007

Abstract

Nucleosynthesis, on the surface of accreting neutron stars, produces a range of chemical elements. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of crystallization to see how this complex composition forms new neutron star crust. We find chemical separation, with the liquid ocean phase greatly enriched in low atomic number elements compared to the solid crust. This phase separation should change many crust properties such as the thermal conductivity and shear modulus.

Received 5 March 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.75.066101

Authors & Affiliations

C. J. Horowitz^*

Department of Physics and Nuclear Theory Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA

D. K. Berry^†

University Information Technology Services, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA

E. F. Brown^‡

Department of Physics and Astronomy, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA

^*Electronic address: horowit@indiana.edu
^†Electronic address: dkberry@indiana.edu
^‡Electronic address: ebrown@pa.msu.edu

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Issue

Vol. 75, Iss. 6 — June 2007

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Physical Review E

covering statistical, nonlinear, biological, and soft matter physics