Astro-material science, neutron star crust, and gravitational waves.
by
Charles J. Horowitz(Indiana University, US)
→
Europe/Stockholm
132:028
132:028
Description
Neutron star crust, the solid ash of dead stars, has many unique properties. Using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we model the crust’s chemistry. The crust may have nuclear pasta phases involving complex shapes. We calculate the shear viscosity of this pasta that may damp oscillation modes. Finally, our simulations show neutron star crust to be the strongest material known, 10 billion times stronger than steel. This strength, in star quake models, may help explain the great energy of Magnetar giant flares. The crust can support mountains, on rotating stars, large enough to efficiently radiate gravitational waves. Waves that could control the spins of some stars and may be detectable in large-scale interferometers.
