Nuclear symmetry energy in presence of hyperons in the nonrelativistic Thomas-Fermi approximation

Abstract

We generalise the finite range momentum and density dependent Seyler-Blanchard nucleon-nucleon effective interaction to the case of interaction between two baryons. This effective interaction is then used to describe dense hadronic matter relevant to neutron stars in the nonrelativistic Thomas-Fermi approach. We investigate the behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy in dense nuclear and hyperon matter relevant to neutron stars. It is found that the nuclear symmetry energy always increases with density in hyperon matter unlike the situation in nuclear matter. This rising characteristic of the symmetry energy in presence of hyperons may have significant implications on the mass-radius relationship and the cooling properties of neutron stars. We have also noted that with the appearance of hyperons, the equation of state calculated in this model remains causal at high density.