Role of finite nuclei on the pairing gap of the inner crust of neutron stars

The state dependent pairing gap is calculated for a Wigner cell lying in the inner crust of a neutron star, allowing neutrons to interact through the Argonne v14 potential. Although the values of the pairing gap will be renormalized by the induced interaction, the result found, that the pairing gap is sensitive to the presence of the finite atomic nucleus in the sea of free neutrons, is expected to be quite general.