Influence of the interactions of scalar mesons on the behavior of the symmetry energy

Symmetry energy behavior of scalar mesons interactions is analyzed within the framework of the standard relativistic mean field model. Whereas the presence of the $\delta$ meson itself makes the symmetry energy stiffer, the crossing term $\delta\textrm{-}\sigma$ allows its slope to decrease to the suggested experimental value. Moreover, such controlling of the symmetry energy does not significantly affect the stiffness of the equation of state and acceptable neutron star masses result. Interestingly, for the most plausible value of the symmetry energy slope, the phase transition occurs in the neutron star core.