Shear viscosity and thermal conductivity of nuclear ``pasta''
Abstract
We calculate the shear viscosity η and thermal conductivity κ of a nuclear pasta phase in neutron star crusts. This involves complex nonspherical shapes. We use semiclassical molecular dynamics simulations involving 40, 000 to 100, 000 nucleons. The viscosity η can be simply expressed in terms of the height Z* and width Δq of the peak in the static structure factor Sp(q). We find that η increases somewhat, compared to a lower density phase involving spherical nuclei, because Z* decreases from form factor and ion screening effects. However, we do not find a dramatic increase in η from nonspherical shapes, as may occur in conventional complex fluids.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review C
- Pub Date:
- September 2008
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0807.2603
- Bibcode:
- 2008PhRvC..78c5806H
- Keywords:
-
- 26.60.-c;
- 97.60.Jd;
- 66.20.Cy;
- Nuclear matter aspects of neutron stars;
- Neutron stars;
- Theory and modeling of viscosity and rheological properties including computer simulation;
- Astrophysics;
- Nuclear Theory
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 7 figures, minor changes, Phys. Rev. C in press