We explore the density variation of the correlation coefficient of the key parameters of the nuclear equation of state (EoS) with the bulk and crustal properties of neutron stars. The analysis was performed using two diverse sets of nuclear effective interaction theories based on the nonrelativistic Skyrme Hartree-Fock model and the relativistic mean field model. We find that the commonly studied EoS parameters, namely the isoscalar incompressibility of symmetric nuclear matter $K\left(\rho \right)$ and the isovector slope of symmetry energy $L\left(\rho \right)$, reveal consistently maximum correlation with the radius, tidal deformability, and moment of inertia, all around twice the saturation density. We find even tighter and more robust correlations beyond the saturation density for constructed parameter $\eta ={\left[K{L}^2\right]}^{1/3}$, allowing the possibility to impose stringent constraints on high-density $K\left(\rho \right)$ and $L\left(\rho \right)$. Extensive correlation analysis of the EoS parameters with the radius and tidal deformability bounds from gravitational wave events and recent pulsar observations allow us to provide reliable constraints on the central values of $K\left({\rho }_0\right)\approx 240\mathrm{MeV}$ and $L\left({\rho }_0\right)\approx 48\mathrm{MeV}$ at saturation density and $K\left(1.6{\rho }_0\right)\approx {332}_{-50}^{+88}\mathrm{MeV}$ and $L\left(1.6{\rho }_0\right)\approx {122}_{-18}^{+26}\mathrm{MeV}$ at 1.6 times the saturation density. The crust-core transition density and the crustal fraction of moment of inertia are shown to correlate moderately with $L\left(\rho \right)$ and $\eta \left(\rho \right)$ near the subsaturation density.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article

• Nuclear matter
• Nuclear matter in neutron stars
• Symmetry energy