Triplet Pairing in Neutron Matter

Abstract

The separation method developed earlier by us [Nucl. Phys. {\bf A598} 390 (1996)] to calculate and analyze solutions of the BCS gap equation for $^1$S$_0$ pairing is extended and applied to $^3$P$_2$--$^3$F$_2$ pairing in pure neutron matter. The pairing matrix elements are written as a separable part plus a remainder that vanishes when either momentum variable is on the Fermi surface. This decomposition effects a separation of the problem of determining the dependence of the gap components in a spin-angle representation on the magnitude of the momentum (described by a set of functions independent of magnetic quantum number) from the problem of determining the dependence of the gap on angle or magnetic projection. The former problem is solved through a set of nonsingular, quasilinear integral equations, providing inputs for solution of the latter problem through a coupled system of algebraic equations for a set of numerical coefficients. An incisive criterion is given for finding the upper critical density for closure of the triplet gap. The separation method and its development for triplet pairing exploit the existence of a small parameter, given by a gap-amplitude measure divided by the Fermi energy. The revised BCS equations admit analysis revealing universal properties of the full set of solutions for $^3$P$_2$ pairing in the absence of tensor coupling, referring especially to the energy degeneracy and energetic order of these solutions. The angle-average approximation introduced by Baldo et al. is illuminated in terms of the separation-transformed BCS problem and the small parameter expansion...