Theoretical constraints on properties of low-mass neutron stars from EOS of inner crust matters

Abstract

By employing four typical equation of states (EOSs) of the inner crust matters, the constraint on properties of low-mass neutron stars are theoretically investigated. Based on the well known fact that there is a big gap between the neutron stars and white dwarfs in the mass-radius sequence of compact stars, here we explicitly point out the forbidden region for the central density and stellar radius to form a compact stars, that is, there is no compact star in the nature having central density in the region from about $10^{12}~kg/m^3$ to $10^{17}~kg/m^3$, and there is also no compact star having a radius in the region from about 400 km to 2000 km. It is found that for a low-mass neutron star with central densities at subnuclear densities, the stellar mass is mainly determined by the softness of the EOS at the higher density region ($ > 10^{16}~\textrm{kg.m}^{-3}$) while the stellar radius is dependent on the softness of the EOS at lower density region ($ < 10^{16}~\textrm{kg.m}^{-3}$). For a stable neutron star with stellar mass near the minimum mass, the Keplerian period is several hundred millisecond, the moment of inertia is in an order of $10^{37} kg\cdot m^{2}$, and the surface gravitational redshift is in an order of $10^{-4}$.