中子星的质量上限

THE MAXIMUM MASS OF NONROTATING NEUTRON STARS

中子星质量的确定,对判断黑洞的存在,对检验由重力论和核理论所预椎中子星的性质,对恒星晚期演化理论都有决定性的意义。近十多年从观测和理论两方面都有很大进展。理论工作一是进行精细的数值计算,一是用求极值法算质量上限,结果有很大差异。十七届国际天文学会(1979年)总结报告指出:“中子星的最大质量仍未确定下来,需作出努力。近来对密物质状态方程用相对论多体理论作了许多工作。

The maximum mass of nonrotating neutron stars was calculated by using only general relativity and representative equations of state obtained from current nuclear physics. It turns out that the maximum mass of a neutron star is M_(max)≈5M⊙(ρ_0=4×10^(14)g/cm^3), M_(max)≈3M⊙(ρ_0=1×10^(15)g/cm^3), if the causality is not demanded; and M_(max)≈4M⊙(ρ_0=4×10^(14)g/cm^3), M_(max)≤3M⊙, if the causality is taken into consideration. M_(max) depends strictly on the equ- ation of state used and on the choice of characteristic parameter ρ_0.