Thermal conductivity of ions in a neutron star envelope

We analyze the thermal conductivity of ions (equivalent to the conductivity of phonons in crystalline matter) in a neutron star envelope. We calculate the ion/phonon thermal conductivity in a crystal of atomic nuclei using variational formalism and performing momentum-space integration by Monte Carlo method. We take into account phonon-phonon and phonon-electron scattering mechanisms and show that phonon-electron scattering dominates at not too low densities. We extract the ion thermal conductivity in ion liquid or gas from literature. Numerical values of the ion/phonon conductivity are approximated by analytical expressions, valid for T>10^5 K and 10^5 g cm^-3 < \rho < 10^14 g cm^-3. Typical magnetic fields B~10^12 G in neutron star envelopes do not affect this conductivity although they strongly reduce the electron thermal conductivity across the magnetic field. The ion thermal conductivity remains much smaller than the electron conductivity along the magnetic field. However, in the outer neutron star envelope it can be larger than the electron conductivity across the field, that is important for heat transport across magnetic field lines in cooling neutron stars. The ion conductivity can greatly reduce the anisotropy of heat conduction in outer envelopes of magnetized neutron stars.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures; to appear in MNRA

Shear modulus of neutron star crust

Shear modulus of solid neutron star crust is calculated by thermodynamic perturbation theory taking into account ion motion. At given density the crust is modelled as a body-centered cubic Coulomb crystal of fully ionized atomic nuclei of one type with the uniform charge-compensating electron background. Classic and quantum regimes of ion motion are considered. The calculations in the classic temperature range agree well with previous Monte Carlo simulations. At these temperatures the shear modulus is given by the sum of a positive contribution due to the static lattice and a negative $\propto T$ contribution due to the ion motion. The quantum calculations are performed for the first time. The main result is that at low temperatures the contribution to the shear modulus due to the ion motion saturates at a constant value, associated with zero-point ion vibrations. Such behavior is qualitatively similar to the zero-point ion motion contribution to the crystal energy. The quantum effects may be important for lighter elements at higher densities, where the ion plasma temperature is not entirely negligible compared to the typical Coulomb ion interaction energy. The results of numerical calculations are approximated by convenient fitting formulae. They should be used for precise neutron star oscillation modelling, a rapidly developing branch of stellar seismology.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted to MNRA