Specific viscosity of neutron-rich nuclear matter from a relaxation time approach

Abstract

The specific viscosity of neutron-rich nuclear matter is studied from the relaxation time approach using an isospin- and momentum-dependent interaction and the nucleon-nucleon cross sections taken as those from the experimental data modified by the in-medium effective masses as used in the IBUU transport model calculations. The relaxation time of neutrons is larger while that of protons is smaller in neutron-rich nuclear matter compared with that in symmetric nuclear matter, and this leads to a larger specific viscosity in neutron-rich nuclear matter. In addition, the specific viscosity decreases with increasing temperature because of more frequent collisions and weaker Pauli blocking effect at higher temperatures. At lower temperatures the specific viscosity increases with increasing density due to the Pauli blocking effect, while at higher temperatures it slightly decreases with increasing density as a result of smaller in-medium effective masses at higher densities.