ASYMMETRIC NUCLEAR-MATTER EQUATION OF STATE

Systematic calculations of asymmetric nuclear matter have been performed in the framework of the Brueckner-Bethe-Goldstone approach in a wide range of both density and asymmetry parameter. The empirical parabolic law fulfilled by the binding energy per nucleon is confirmed by the present results in all the range of the asymmetry parameter values. The predominant role of the 3S1-3D1 component of the NN interaction is elucidated. A linear variation of the proton and neutron single-particle potentials is found as increasing the neutron excess; a deviation from the phenomenological potentials occurs for highly asymmetric matter as an effect of the self-consistency. The present calculations of the incompressibility predict a strong softening of the equation of state going from symmetric to asymmetric nuclear matter. The proton fraction in equilibrium with neutron matter has been determined from the beta-stability condition and its relevance to the superfluidity of neutron stars has been investigated.