Determining the Nuclear Equation of State from Neutron-Star Masses and Radii
Abstract
A method is developed for determining the nuclear equation of state directly from a knowledge of the masses and radii of neutron stars. This analysis assumes only that equilibrium neutron-star matter has the stress-energy tensor of an isotropic fluid with a barotropic equation of state, and that general relativity describes a neutron star's internal gravitational field. We present numerical examples which illustrate how well this method will determine the equation of state when the appropriate observational data become available.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1086/171882
- Bibcode:
- 1992ApJ...398..569L
- Keywords:
-
- Equations Of State;
- Neutron Stars;
- Nuclear Astrophysics;
- Stellar Mass;
- Barotropism;
- Computational Astrophysics;
- Radii;
- Stellar Interiors;
- Stellar Physics;
- Astrophysics;
- EQUATION OF STATE;
- STARS: NEUTRON;
- RELATIVITY;
- METHODS: NUMERICAL;
- STARS: INTERIORS