MD simulations identify a universal post-break plastic flow in neutron star crusts at shear strains of 0.05-0.11, independent of initial crystal structure.
Shear modulus of neutron star crust
3 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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abstract
Shear modulus of solid neutron star crust is calculated by thermodynamic perturbation theory taking into account ion motion. At given density the crust is modelled as a body-centered cubic Coulomb crystal of fully ionized atomic nuclei of one type with the uniform charge-compensating electron background. Classic and quantum regimes of ion motion are considered. The calculations in the classic temperature range agree well with previous Monte Carlo simulations. At these temperatures the shear modulus is given by the sum of a positive contribution due to the static lattice and a negative $\propto T$ contribution due to the ion motion. The quantum calculations are performed for the first time. The main result is that at low temperatures the contribution to the shear modulus due to the ion motion saturates at a constant value, associated with zero-point ion vibrations. Such behavior is qualitatively similar to the zero-point ion motion contribution to the crystal energy. The quantum effects may be important for lighter elements at higher densities, where the ion plasma temperature is not entirely negligible compared to the typical Coulomb ion interaction energy. The results of numerical calculations are approximated by convenient fitting formulae. They should be used for precise neutron star oscillation modelling, a rapidly developing branch of stellar seismology.
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astro-ph.HE 3years
2026 3verdicts
UNVERDICTED 3representative citing papers
Accretion-induced failure of the neutron star crystal crust produces a glass layer that explains the observed cooling, fixes the accreted mass at 2.4e-6 solar masses, and indicates birth properties typical of recycled neutron stars, potentially from electron-capture supernova formation.
Plane-parallel analysis finds MRI operates in solids only when magnetic tension exceeds shear modulus, requiring spin frequencies ≳300 Hz for crust amplification in neutron-star mergers.
citing papers explorer
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Plasticity of Neutron Star Crusts
MD simulations identify a universal post-break plastic flow in neutron star crusts at shear strains of 0.05-0.11, independent of initial crystal structure.
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Crust glass formation reveals the neutron star birth properties in IGR J17480-2446
Accretion-induced failure of the neutron star crystal crust produces a glass layer that explains the observed cooling, fixes the accreted mass at 2.4e-6 solar masses, and indicates birth properties typical of recycled neutron stars, potentially from electron-capture supernova formation.
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Magneto-rotational instabilities in solids: application to neutron-star crusts
Plane-parallel analysis finds MRI operates in solids only when magnetic tension exceeds shear modulus, requiring spin frequencies ≳300 Hz for crust amplification in neutron-star mergers.