Abstract
The elastic properties of neutron star crusts are relevant for a variety of currently observable or near-future electromagnetic and gravitational wave phenomena. These phenomena may depend on the elastic properties of nuclear pasta found in the inner crust. We present large-scale classical molecular dynamics simulations where we deform nuclear pasta. We simulate idealized samples of nuclear pasta and describe their breaking mechanism. We also deform nuclear pasta that is arranged into many domains, similar to what is known for the ions in neutron star crusts. Our results show that nuclear pasta may be the strongest known material, perhaps with a shear modulus of 1030 ergs/cm3 and a breaking strain greater than 0.1.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 132701 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 121 |
| Issue number | 13 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 28 Sep 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018 American Physical Society.
Funding
M. E. C. acknowledges support as a CITA National Fellow. A. S. S. is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. AST-1333520 and No. CAREER PHY-1151197. C. J. H. supported in part by U.S. Department of Energy Grants No. DE-FG02-87ER40365 (Indiana University) and No. DE-SC0018083 (NUCLEI SciDAC-4 Collaboration). This research was supported in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc., through its support for the Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute, and in part by the Indiana METACyt Initiative. The Indiana METACyt Initiative at IU was also supported in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc. We thank A. Cumming and A. Chugunov for conversations. M.E.C. acknowledges support as a CITA National Fellow. A.S.S. is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. AST-1333520 and No. CAREER PHY-1151197. C.J.H. supported in part by U.S. Department of Energy Grants No. DE-FG02-87ER40365 (Indiana University) and No. DE-SC0018083 (NUCLEI SciDAC-4 Collaboration). This research was supported in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc., through its support for the Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute, and in part by the Indiana METACyt Initiative. The Indiana METACyt Initiative at IU was also supported in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc. We thank A. Cumming and A. Chugunov for conversations.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Indiana METACyt Initiative | |
| Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute | |
| Lilly Endowment, Inc. | |
| National Science Foundation | AST-1333520 |
| U.S. Department of Energy | DE-FG02-87ER40365 |
| Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences | 1151197, 1333520 |
| Indiana University | DE-SC0018083 |
| Lilly Endowment | |
| Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics | |
| National Science Foundation |