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A nuclear Thomas-Fermi model is used to determine the ground state of matter at subnuclear densities allowing for inhomogeneities on a nuclear scale ("clusters"). The "neutron drip" phase transition occurs at 3.7 ×{} 10¹¹ g/cm³. As a function of the average density the proton number Z of the clusters first increases from Z29 at 1.4 ×{} 10⁸ g/cm³ to a maximum of Z35 at {~}3.0 ×{} 10¹² g/cm³ and then decreases until the clusters gradually evanesce just above 10¹⁴ g/cm³; this transition is smooth.
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Buchler et al. (1971) studied this question.
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