Internally, we believe that a neutron star can be divided into the following general regions.
|
The atmosphere is very thin and consists of very hot, ionized gas.
|
|
The outer crust is only about 200 meters thick and consists of a solid lattice
or a dense liquid of heavy nuclei. The dominant pressure in this region is from electron
degeneracy. The density is not high enough here to favor neutronization.
|
|
The inner crust is from 1/2 to 1 kilometer thick. The pressure is higher and the
lattice of heavy nuclei is now permeated by free superfluid neutrons that begin to "drip" out
of the nuclei. The pressure is still mostly from degenerate electrons.
|
|
The outer core is composed primarily of superfluid neutrons and the neutrons supply
most of the pressure through neutron degeneracy,
though there are some free superconducting
protons. This region is what gives the
neutron star its name.
|
|
The structure of the inner core is less certain than that of the
outer portion of the star because we are less certain about how matter behaves under the
intense pressure at the center. It may consist of a solid core of elementary particles.
|
