Neutron star properties in the Thomas-Fermi model

The modern nucleon-nucleon interaction of Myers and Swiatecki, adjusted to the properties of finite nuclei, the parameters of the mass formula, and the behavior of the optical potential is used to calculate the properties of $\beta$--equilibrated neutron star matter, and to study the impact of this equation of state on the properties of (rapidly rotating) neutron stars and their cooling behavior. The results are in excellent agreement with the outcome of calculations performed for a broad collection of sophisticated nonrelativistic as well as relativistic models for the equation of state.