Symmetry energy effects in the neutron star properties

Abstract

The functional form of the nuclear symmetry energy has only been determined in a very narrow range of densities. Uncertainties concern both the low as well as the high density behaviour of this function. In this work different shapes of the symmetry energy, consistent with the experimental data, were introduced and their consequences for the crustal properties of neutron stars are presented. The resulting models are in agreement with astrophysical observations.