The impact of a δ meson field (the scalar-isovector channel) on asymmetric nuclear matter is studied within relativistic mean-field (RMF) models with both constant and density dependent (DD) nucleon-meson couplings. The Equation of State (EOS) for asymmetric nuclear matter and the neutron star properties by the different models are compared. We find that the δ-field in the constant coupling scheme leads to a larger repulsion in dense neutron-rich matter and to a definite splitting of proton and neutron effective masses, finally influencing the stability of the neutron stars. A broader analysis of possible δ-field effects is achieved considering also density dependent nucleon-meson coupling. A remarkable effect on the relation between mass and radius for the neutron stars is seen, showing a significant reduction of the radius along with a moderate mass reduction due to the increase of the effective δ coupling in high density regions.
Application of density dependent parametrization models to asymmetric nuclear matter