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We present an updated general purpose nuclear equation of state (EoS) for use in simulations of core-collapse supernovae, neutron star mergers and black hole collapse. This EoS is formulated in the context of Density Functional Theory (DFT) and is generalized to include all DFT EoSs consistent with known nuclear and astrophysical constraints. This EoS also allows for the possibility of the formation of material with a net proton excess ($Y_p > 0.5$) and has an improved treatment of the nuclear statistical equilibrium and the transition to heavy nuclei as the density approaches nuclear matter density. We include the effects of pions in the regime above nuclear matter density and incorporate all of the known mesonic and baryonic states at high temperature. We analyze how a 3-body nuclear force term in the DFT at high densities stiffens the EoS to satisfy the maximum neutron star constraint, however the density dependence of the symmetry anergy and the formation of pions at high temperatures allows for a softening of the central core in supernova collapse calculations leading to a robust explosion. We also add the possibility of a transition to a QCD chiral-symmetry-restoration and deconfinement phase at densities above nuclear matter density. This paper details the physics, and constraints on, this new EoS and presents an illustration of its implementation in both neutron stars and core-collapse supernova simulations. We present the first results from core-collapse supernova simulations with this EoS., Comment: Submitted to Physical Review C. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1303.0064

We summarize the impact of sterile neutrino dark matter on core-collapse supernova explosions. We explore various oscillations between electron neutrinos or mixed $\mu-\tau$ neutrinos and right-handed sterile neutrinos that may occur within a core-collapse supernova. In particular, we consider sterile neutrino masses and mixing angles that are consistent with sterile neutrino dark matter candidates as indicated by recent X-ray flux measurements. We find that the interpretation of the observed 3.5 keV X-ray excess as due to a decaying 7 keV sterile neutrino that comprises 100\% of the dark matter would have almost no observable effect on supernova explosions. However, in the more realistic case in which the decaying sterile neutrino comprises only a small fraction of the total dark matter density due to the presence of other sterile neutrino flavors, WIMPs, etc., a larger mixing angle is allowed. In this case a 7 keV sterile neutrino could have a significant impact on core-collapse supernovae. We also consider mixing between $\mu-\tau$ neutrinos and sterile neutrinos. We find, however, that this mixing does not significantly alter the explosion and has no observable effect on the neutrino luminosities at early times., Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Modern Physics Letters A

We have made core-collapse supernova simulations that allow oscillations between electron neutrinos (or their anti particles) with right-handed sterile neutrinos. We have considered a range of mixing angles and sterile neutrino masses including those consistent with sterile neutrinos as a dark matter candidate. We examine whether such oscillations can impact the core bounce and shock reheating in supernovae. We identify the optimum ranges of mixing angles and masses that can dramatically enhance the supernova explosion by efficiently transporting electron anti-neutrinos from the core to behind the shock where they provide additional heating leading to much larger explosion kinetic energies. We show that this effect can cause stars to explode that otherwise would have collapsed. We find that an interesting periodicity in the neutrino luminosity develops due to a cycle of depletion of the neutrino density by conversion to sterile neutrinos that shuts off the conversion, followed by a replenished neutrino density as neutrinos transport through the core.

We present an updated and improved equation of state (which we call the NDL EoS) for use in neutron-star structure and supernova simulations. This EoS is based upon a framework originally developed by Bowers & Wilson, but there are numerous changes. Among them are: (1) a reformulation in the context of density functional theory; (2) the possibility of the formation of material with a net proton excess (Ye > 0.5); (3) an improved treatment of the nuclear statistical equilibrium and the transition to heavy nuclei as the density approaches nuclear matter density; (4) an improved treatment of the effects of pions in the regime above nuclear matter density including the incorporation of all the known mesonic and baryonic states at high temperature; (5) the effects of 3-body nuclear forces at high densities; and (6) the possibility of a first-order or crossover transition to a QCD chiral symmetry restoration and deconfinement phase at densities above nuclear matter density. This paper details the physics of, and constraints on, this new EoS and describes its implementation in numerical simulations. We show comparisons of this EoS with other equations of state commonly used in supernova collapse simulations., Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. C

With central densities way above the density of atomic nuclei, neutron stars contain matter in one of the densest forms found in the universe. Depending of the density reached in the cores of neutron stars, they may contain stable phases of exotic matter found nowhere else in space. This article gives a brief overview of the phases of ultra-dense matter predicted to exist deep inside neutron stars and discusses the equation of state associated with such matter., Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures; paper presented at the International Symposium on Heavy Ion Physics 2006, April 3 to April 6, 2006, Frankfurt am Main, Germany