Nuclear equation of state

We present a discussion of the equation of state of cold nuclear matter predicted by our recently completed Thomas-Fermi model. The equation is in the form of a three-term polynomial in the cube root of the density, with coefficients that are functions of the relative neutron excess δ. The coefficients are tabulated in the range from δ=0 (standard nuclear matter) to δ=1 (neutron matter), making it very easy to calculate, for a given δ, the pressure, compressibility, saturation binding, and any other property of the Thomas-Fermi equation of state. We discuss the empirical information concerning abnormal densities and large neutron excess that is contained in the measured values of the surface energy, surface diffuseness, and the neutron skin. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society