Properties of infinite nuclear matter

The equilibrium conditions are governed by the weak processes (normally referred to as the processes for \( \beta \)-equilibrium) $$ \begin{equation} b_1 \rightarrow b_2 + l +\bar{\nu}_l \hspace{1cm} b_2 +l \rightarrow b_1 +\nu_l, \tag{4} \end{equation} $$ where \( b_1 \) and \( b_2 \) refer to for example the baryons being a neutron and a proton, respectively, \( l \) is either an electron or a muon and \( \bar{\nu}_l \) and \( \nu_l \) their respective anti-neutrinos and neutrinos. Muons typically appear at a density close to nuclear matter saturation density, the latter being $$ n_0 \approx 0.16 \pm 0.02 \hspace{1cm} \mathrm{fm}^{-3}, $$ with a corresponding binding energy \( E_0 \) for symmetric nuclear matter (SNM) at saturation density of $$ E_0 = B/A=-15.6\pm 0.2 \hspace{1cm} \mathrm{MeV}. $$