METHODOLOGICAL NOTES

On variational trial functions in extended Thomas–Fermi method

A. Yu. Potekhin^a, A. I. Chugunov^a, N. N. Shchechilin^b, N. Chamel<sup>b

a</sup> Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg
^b Institut d'Astronomie et d'Astrophysique, CP-226, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Abstract: Parametrized nucleon density distributions are widely employed for the calculation of the properties of atomic nuclei and dense inhomogeneous matter in compact stars within the Thomas–Fermi method and its extensions. We show that the use of insufficiently smooth parametrizations may deteriorate the accuracy of this method. We discuss and clarify the smoothness condition using the example of the so-called ‘nuclear pasta’ in the neutron star mantle.

Keywords: superdense matter, neutron star crust, Thomas–Fermi model, equation of state and phase equilibrium

PACS: 26.60.-c, 26.60.Gj, 31.15.bt, 64.10.+h

Received: June 27, 2024
Revised: November 7, 2024
Accepted: November 13, 2024

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2024.11.039804

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2025, 68:7, 691–698

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