Nuclear Symmetry Energy: From Finite Nuclei to Neutron Stars

Dear Colleagues,

Nuclear symmetry energy (NSE) is the basic regulator of the isospin properties of neutron-rich nuclei and neutron stars. It is expected to affect mainly the isovector properties of finite nuclei including the neutron skin thickness, the coefficient of the asymmetry energy in the Bethe–Weizsacker formula, etc. In addition, the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy is the main component of the equation of the state of neutron-rich nuclear matter. Actually, there are a variety of neutron star properties that are sensitive to NSE including the radius and tidal deformability of a neutron star, which influence gravitational signals from their mergers, the NS crust’s thickness, the thermal relaxation time, the onset of the direct URCA process during the cooling of a neutron star, and the crust–core transition density and pressure.

In the last few years, there have been extended theoretical and experimental efforts for constraining the values of the nuclear symmetry energy and the slope parameter L close to the value of the saturation density of nuclear matter. Both theoretical and experimental efforts are focused on the study of a possible correlation of L with various nuclear properties, including the neutron skin thickness, the dipole polarizability, and the pygmy dipole resonance of various neutron-rich nuclei as well as the analysis of heavy-ion collision data. Additionally, isobaric analog states, nuclei mass formula data, and neutron star observation data have also been elaborated. In fact, the main purpose of all the above research is the combination of both theoretical studies and the corresponding experimental ones in order to make the best possible determination of the parameterization of the nuclear symmetry energy.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect both theoretical and experimental contributions concerning the applications of nuclear symmetry energy for the study of the structure and properties of both finite nuclei and neutron stars. Contributions in which the nuclear symmetry energy is estimated with the help of modern astrophysical observations concerning neutron stars as well as heavy ion collisions experiments, in modern laboratories, are especially welcome. In addition, the application of new theoretical methods to the study of neutron stars, such as the use of neural networks, machine learning, and Bayesian analysis are also a subject of this Special Issue, and all papers related to these topics are welcome. We wish to invite both original and review papers on the abovementioned research topics for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Martin Veselsky
Prof. Dr. George A. Souliotis
Dr. Vlasios Petousis
Prof. Dr. Charalampos Moustakidis
Guest Editors

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• nuclear matter
• nuclear symmetry energy
• finite nuclei
• exotic nuclei
• nuclear fission
• nuclear reactions
• neutron stars
• phase transition
• hybrid stars