arXiv subjects

Rana Nandi

Publications and source records attributed to Rana Nandi.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Effect of the Coulomb interaction on the liquid-gas phase transition of nuclear matter

We investigate the role of the Coulomb interaction on the liquid-gas phase transition of nuclear matter with three different values of proton fraction ($Y_p$=0.5,0.3 and 0.1), relevant for heavy-ion physics as well as various astrophysical scenarios, within the framework of quantum molecular dynamics. We perform simulations for a wide range of density and temperature with and without the Coulomb interaction and calculate the two-point correlation functions of nucleon density fluctuations for all the configurations to determine the phase transition region. We also determine the critical end point of the liquid-gas phase transition for all three values of proton fraction considered. We observe that the Coulomb interaction reduces the transition temperature by about 2 MeV for nuclear matter with $Y_p$=0.5 and 0.3 and by about 1 MeV for nuclear matter with $Y_p$=0.1. However, the critical density is found to be more or less insensitive to the Coulomb interaction.

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arXiv2016

Low density nuclear matter with quantum molecular dynamics : The role of the symmetry energy

We study the effect of isospin-dependent nuclear forces on the pasta phase in the inner crust of neutron stars. To this end we model the crust within the framework of quantum molecular dynamics (QMD). For maximizing the numerical performance, a newly developed code has been implemented on GPU processors. As a first application of the crust studies we investigate the dependence of the particular pasta phases on the isospin dependence of the interaction, including non-linear terms in this sector of the interactions. Our results indicate that in contrast to earlier studies the phase diagram of the pasta phase is not very sensitive to isospin effects. We show that the extraction of the isospin parameters like asymmetry energy and slope from numerical data is affected by higher-order terms in the asymmetry dependence of the energies per particle. Furthermore, a rapid transition from the pasta to a homogeneous phase is observed even for proton-to-neutron ratios typical for a supernova environment.

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arXiv2016

Role of nuclear physics in oscillations of magnetars

Strong magnetic fields have important effects on the crustal properties of magnetars. Here we study the magneto-elastic oscillations of magnetars taking into consideration the effect of strong magnetic fields on the crustal composition (magnetised crust). We calculate global magneto-elastic (GME) modes as well as modes confined to the crust (CME) only. The composition of the crust directly affects its shear modulus which we calculate using three different nucleon-nucleon interactions: SLy4, SkM and Sk272. The shear modulus of the crust is found to be enhanced in strong magnetic fields $\geq 10^{17}$ G for all those Skyrme interactions. It is noted that the shear modulus of the crust for the SLy4 interaction is much higher than those of the SkM and Sk272 interactions in presence of magnetic fields or not. Though we do not find any appreciable change in frequencies of fundamental GME and CME modes with and without magnetised crusts, frequencies of first overtones of CME modes are significantly affected in strong magnetic fields $\geq 10^{17}$ G. However, this feature is not observed in frequencies of first overtones of GME modes. As in earlier studies, it is also noted that the effects of crusts on frequencies of both types of maneto-elastic modes disappear when the magnetic field reaches the critical field ($B > 4 \times 10^{15}$ G). Frequencies of GME and CME modes calculated with magnetised crusts based on all three nucleon-nucleon interactions, stellar models and magnetic fields, are compared with frequencies of observed quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOS) in SGR 1806-20 and SGR1900+14. As in earlier studies, this comparison indicates that GME modes are essential to explain all the frequencies as CME modes can explain only the higher frequencies.

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arXiv2014

Phase transition in compact stars due to a violent shock

In this letter we study the dynamics of a first order phase transition from nucleonic to quark matter in neutron stars. Using standard equations of state for these two phases we find the density range where such a transition is possible. Then we study the transformation of the star assuming that the quark core is formed via a spherical shock wave. The thermodynamical conditions in the quark core are found from the conservation laws across the transition region. Their dependence on the density and velocity of the incoming nuclear matter are studied. It is found that the shock is especially violent in the beginning of the conversion process when the velocity of the infalling matter is especially high. As the shock propagates further from the center the front velocity first increases and reaches a maximum value when the incoming velocity is around $0.2$. Finally, the front velocity quickly goes to zero when incoming matter velocity approaches zero. We have shown that the density and pressure jumps are especially large in the begining of the transition process.

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arXiv2012

Nuclei in Strongly Magnetised Neutron Star Crusts

We discuss the ground state properties of matter in outer and inner crusts of neutron stars under the influence of strong magnetic fields. In particular, we demonstrate the effects of Landau quantization of electrons on compositions of neutron star crusts. First we revisit the sequence of nuclei and the equation of state of the outer crust adopting the Baym, Pethick and Sutherland (BPS) model in the presence of strong magnetic fields and most recent versions of the theoretical and experimental nuclear mass tables. Next we deal with nuclei in the inner crust. Nuclei which are arranged in a lattice, are immersed in a nucleonic gas as well as a uniform background of electrons in the inner crust. The Wigner-Seitz approximation is adopted in this calculation and each lattice volume is replaced by a spherical cell. The coexistence of two phases of nuclear matter - liquid and gas, is considered in this case. We obtain the equilibrium nucleus corresponding to each baryon density by minimizing the free energy of the cell. We perform this calculation using Skyrme nucleon-nucleon interaction with different parameter sets. We find nuclei with larger mass and charge numbers in the inner crust in the presence of strong magnetic fields than those of the zero field case for all nucleon-nucleon interactions considered here. However, SLy4 interaction has dramatic effects on the proton fraction as well as masses and charges of nuclei. This may be attributed to the behaviour of symmetry energy with density in the sub-saturation density regime. Further we discuss the implications of our results to shear mode oscillations of magnetars.

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arXiv2012

Magnetised Neutron Star Crusts and Torsional Shear Modes of Magnetars

We discuss outer and inner crusts of neutron stars in strong magnetic fields. Here, we demonstrate the effect of Landau quantization of electrons on the ground state properties of matter in outer and inner crusts in magnetars. This effect leads to the enhancement of the electron number density in strong magnetic fields with respect to the zero field case. For the outer crust, we adopt the magnetic Baym-Pethick-Sutherland model and obtain the sequence of nuclei and equation of state (EoS). The properties of nuclei in the inner crust in the presence of strong magnetic fields are investigated using the Thomas-Fermi model. The coexistence of two phases of nuclear matter - liquid and gas, is assumed in this case. The proton number density in the Wigner-Seitz cell is affected in strong magnetic fields through the charge neutrality. We perform this calculation using the Skyrme nucleon-nucleon interaction with different parameterisations. We find nuclei with larger mass and atomic numbers in the inner crust in the presence of strong magnetic fields than those of the zero field case for all those parameter sets. Further we investigate torsional shear mode frequencies using the results of magnetised neutron star crusts and compare those with observations.

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arXiv2012

Role of strongly magnetized crusts in torsional shear modes of magnetars

We study the influence of magnetised crusts on torsional shear mode oscillations of magnetars. In this context, we employ magnetised crusts whose ground state properties are affected by Landau quantisation of electrons. The shear modulus of magnetised crusts is enhanced in strong magnetic fields $\geq 10^{17}$ G. Though we do not find any appreciable change in frequencies of fundamental torsional shear modes, frequencies of first overtones are significantly affected in strong magnetic fields. Furthermore, frequencies of torsional shear modes calculated with magnetised crusts are in good agreement with frequencies of observed quasi-periodic oscillations.

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arXiv2011

Shear viscosity and the nucleation of antikaon condensed matter in protoneutron stars

We study shear viscosities of different species in hot and neutrino-trapped dense matter relevant to protoneutron stars. It is found that the shear viscosities of neutrons, protons and electrons in neutrino-trapped matter are of the same orders of magnitude as the corresponding shear viscosities in neutrino-free matter. Above all, the shear viscosity due to neutrinos is higher by several orders of magnitude than that of other species in neutrino-trapped matter. Next we investigate the effect of shear viscosity in particular, neutrino shear viscosity on the thermal nucleation rate of droplets of antikaon condensed matter in protoneutron stars. The first-order phase transition from hadronic matter to antikaon condensed matter is driven by the thermal nucleation process. We compute the equation of state used for the calculation of shear viscosity and thermal nucleation time within the relativistic mean field model. Neutrino shear viscosity enhances the prefactor in the nucleation rate by several orders of magnitude compared with the $T^4$ approximation of earlier calculations. Consequently the thermal nucleation time in the $T^4$ approximation overestimates our result. Furthermore, the thermal nucleation of an antikaon droplet might be possible in neutrino-trapped matter before neutrino diffusion takes place.

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arXiv2011

Nucleation of antikaon condensed matter in proto neutron stars

A first order phase transition from nuclear matter to antikaon condensed matter may proceed through thermal nucleation of a critical droplet of antikaon condensed matter during the early evolution of proto neutron stars (PNS). Droplets of new phase having radii larger than a critical radius would survive and grow, if the latent heat is transported from the droplet surface to the metastable phase. We investigate the effect of shear viscosity on the thermal nucleation time of the droplets of antikaon condensed matter. In this connection we particularly study the contribution of neutrinos in the shear viscosity and nucleation in PNS.

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arXiv2010

Neutron Star Crust in Strong Magnetic Fields

We discuss the effects of strong magnetic fields through Landau quantization of electrons on the structure and stability of nuclei in neutron star crust. In strong magnetic fields, this leads to the enhancement of the electron number density with respect to the zero field case. We obtain the sequence of equilibrium nuclei of the outer crust in the presence of strong magnetic fields adopting most recent versions of the experimental and theoretical nuclear mass tables. For $B\sim 10^{16}$G, it is found that some new nuclei appear in the sequence and some nuclei disappear from the sequence compared with the zero field case. Further we investigate the stability of nuclei in the inner crust in the presence of strong magnetic fields using the Thomas-Fermi model. The coexistence of two phases of nuclear matter - liquid and gas, is considered in this case. The proton number density is significantly enhanced in strong magnetic fields $B\sim 10^{17}$G through the charge neutrality. We find nuclei with larger mass number in the presence of strong magnetic fields than those of the zero field. These results might have important implications for the transport properties of the crust in magnetars.

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arXiv2010

Inner crusts of neutron stars in strongly quantising magnetic fields

We study the properties and stability of nuclei in the inner crust of neutron stars in the presence of strong magnetic fields $\sim 10^{17}$ G. Nuclei coexist with a neutron gas and reside in a uniform gas of electrons in the inner crust. This problem is investigated within the Thomas-Fermi model. We extract the properties of nuclei based on the subtraction procedure of Bonche, Levit and Vautherin. The phase space modification of electrons due to Landau quantisation in the presence of strong magnetic fields leads to the enhancement of electron as well as proton fractions at lower densities $\sim 0.001$ fm$^{-3}$. We find the equilibrium nucleus at each average baryon density by minimising the free energy and show that, in the presence of strong magnetic fields, it is lower than that in the field free case. The size of the spherical cell that encloses a nucleus along with the neutron and electron gases becomes smaller in strong magnetic fields compared with the zero field case. Nuclei with larger mass and atomic numbers are obtained in the presence of strong magnetic fields as compared with cases of zero field.

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arXiv2009

Shear viscosity in antikaon condensed matter

We investigate the shear viscosity of neutron star matter in the presence of an antikaon condensate. The electron and muon number densities are reduced due to the appearance of a $K^-$ condensate in neutron star matter, whereas the proton number density increases. Consequently the shear viscosity due to scatterings of electrons and muons with themselves and protons is lowered compared to the case without the condensate. On the other hand, the contribution of proton-proton collisions to the proton shear viscosity through electromagnetic and strong interactions, becomes important and comparable to the neutron shear viscosity.

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