Constraints on Skyrme Equations of State from Doubly Magic Nuclei, Ab-Initio Calculations of Low-Density Neutron Matter, and Neutron Stars

Abstract

We use properties of doubly-magic nuclei, ab-initio calculations of low-density neutron matter, and of neutron stars to constrain the parameters of the Skyrme energy-density functional. We find all of these properties can be reproduced within a constrained family of Skyrme parameters. The maximum mass of a neutron star is found to be sensitive to the neutron effective mass. A value of [$ m^{*}_{\rm n}/m](\rho_0) = 0.60-0.65 $ is required to obtain a maximum neutron star mass of 2.1 solar masses. Using the constrained Skyrme functional with the aforementioned effective mass, the predicted radius for a neutron star of 1.4 solar masses is 12.4(1) km and $\Lambda$ = 423(40).