On the maximum mass of a neutron star
Abstract
The use of a variational method to determine an upper limit to the mass of the equilibrium configurations for a neutron star is discussed. For densities below the limit above which the interactions between neutrons change from attraction to repulsion, the Harrison-Wheeler equation of state is applied. Above the limit value a variational procedure is used to determine the equation of state which provides the largest contribution to the mass; the only constraints are the constraints of causality and local stability of matter. The variational problem is defined with respect to three kinds of variations; these conditions indicate the appropriate Euler equations, transversality conditions, and Erdmann-Weierstrass conditions. The requirement that the functional have negative curvature leads to the Laplace condition. Numerical integrations for some specific equations of state are examined.
- Publication:
-
Physics and Astrophysics of Neutron Stars and Black Holes
- Pub Date:
- 1978
- Bibcode:
- 1978pans.proc..583P
- Keywords:
-
- Critical Mass;
- Neutron Stars;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Stellar Mass;
- Black Holes (Astronomy);
- Calculus Of Variations;
- Equations Of State;
- Numerical Integration;
- Astrophysics