Spin polarized states in neutron matter at a strong magnetic field

Spin polarized states in neutron matter at a strong magnetic field are considered in the model with the Skyrme effective interaction (SLy4, SLy7 parametrizations). Analyzing the self-consistent equations at zero temperature, it is shown that a thermodynamically stable branch of solutions for the spin polarization parameter as a function of density corresponds to the negative spin polarization when the majority of neutron spins are oriented oppositely to the direction of the magnetic field. Besides, beginning from some threshold density being dependent on the magnetic field strength the self-consistent equations have also two other branches (upper and lower) of solutions for the spin polarization parameter with the positive spin polarization. The free energy corresponding to the upper branch turns out to be very close to the free energy corresponding to the thermodynamically preferable branch with the negative spin polarization. As a consequence, at a strong magnetic field, the state with the positive spin polarization can be realized as a metastable state at the high density region in neutron matter which under decreasing density at some threshold density changes into a thermodynamically stable state with the negative spin polarization. The calculations of the neutron spin polarization parameter and energy per neutron as functions of the magnetic field strength show that the influence of the magnetic field remains small at the field strengths up to $10^{17}$ G.Comment: Prepared with RevTeX4, 8pp., 5 figs; v.2: matches published versio

Finite temperature effects on spin polarization of neutron matter in a strong magnetic field

Spin polarization of neutron matter at finite temperatures and strong magnetic fields up to $10^{18}$ G is studied in the model with the Skyrme effective interaction. It is shown that, together with the thermodynamically stable branch of solutions for the spin polarization parameter corresponding to the case when the majority of neutron spins are oriented opposite to the direction of the magnetic field (negative spin polarization), the self-consistent equations, beginning from some threshold density, have also two other branches of solutions corresponding to positive spin polarization. The influence of finite temperatures on spin polarization remains moderate in the Skyrme model up to temperatures relevant for protoneutron stars, and, in particular, the scenario with the metastable state characterized by positive spin polarization, considered at zero temperature in Phys. Rev. C {\bf 80}, 065801 (2009), is preserved at finite temperatures as well. It is shown that above certain density the entropy for various branches of spin polarization in neutron matter with the Skyrme interaction in a strong magnetic field demonstrates the unusual behavior being larger than that of the nonpolarized state. By providing the corresponding low-temperature analysis, it is clarified that this unexpected behavior should be addressed to the dependence of the entropy of a spin polarized state on the effective masses of neutrons with spin up and spin down, and to a certain constraint on them which is violated in the respective density range.Comment: Prepared with RevTeX4, 6pp., 4 figs; v2: accepted in JKA

Finite temperature effects in antiferromagnetism of nuclear matter

The influence of the finite temperature on the antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin ordering in symmetric nuclear matter with the effective Gogny interaction is studied within the framework of a Fermi liquid formalism. It is shown that the AFM spin polarization parameter of partially polarized nuclear matter for low enough temperatures increases with temperature. The entropy of the AFM spin state for some temperature range is larger than the entropy of the normal state. Nerveless, the free energy of the AFM spin state is always less than the free energy of the normal state and, hence, the AFM spin polarized state is preferable for all temperatures below the critical temperature.Comment: To appear in PRC; some references and comments adde