Formation of Nuclear "Pasta" in Supernovae
Nuclear Theory
2009-11-06 v2 Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Other Condensed Matter
Abstract
In supernova cores, nuclear "pasta" phases such as triangular lattice of rod-like nuclei and layered structure of slab-like nuclei are considered to exist. However, it is still unclear whether or not they are actually formed in collapsing supernova cores. Using {\it ab-initio} numerical simulations called the Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD), we here solve this problem by demonstrating that a lattice of rod-like nuclei is formed from a bcc lattice by compression. We also find that, in the transition process, the system undergoes zigzag configuration of elongated nuclei, which are formed by a fusion of two original spherical nuclei.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0904.0512,
title = {Formation of Nuclear "Pasta" in Supernovae},
author = {Gentaro Watanabe and Hidetaka Sonoda and Toshiki Maruyama and Katsuhiko Sato and Kenji Yasuoka and Toshikazu Ebisuzaki},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0904.0512},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. as an Editors' Suggestion