Systematic calculations of asymmetric nuclear matter have been performed in the framework of the Brueckner-Bethe-Goldstone approach in a wide range of both density and asymmetry parameter. The empirical parabolic law fulfilled by the binding energy per nucleon is confirmed by the present results in all the range of the asymmetry parameter values. The predominant role of the 3S1-3D1 component of the NN interaction is elucidated. A linear variation of the proton and neutron single-particle potentials is found as increasing the neutron excess; a deviation from the phenomenological potentials occurs for highly asymmetric matter as an effect of the self-consistency. The present calculations of the incompressibility predict a strong softening of the equation of state going from symmetric to asymmetric nuclear matter. The proton fraction in equilibrium with neutron matter has been determined from the beta-stability condition and its relevance to the superfluidity of neutron stars has been investigated

The properties of isospin-asymmetric nuclear matter have been investigated in the framework of the extended Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approximation at zero temperature. Selfconsistent calculations using the Argonne V 14 interaction are reported for several asymmetry parameters β = N −Z A ranging from symmetric nuclear matter to pure neutron matter. The binding energy per nucleon fulfills the β 2 law in the whole asymmetry range. The symmetry energy is calculated for different densities and discussed in comparison with other predictions. At the saturation point it is in fairly good agreement with the empirical value. The present approximation, based on the Landau definition of quasiparticle energy, is investigated in terms of the Hugenholtz-Van Hove theorem, which is proved to be fulfilled with a good accuracy at various asymmetries. The isospin dependence of the single-particle properties is discussed, including mean field, effective mass, and mean free path of neutrons and protons. The isospin effects in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics are briefly discussed.

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