Temperature dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy

Abstract We have studied the properties of various isobars with 54 ≤ A ≤ 64 for temperatures T ≤ 1.2 MeV via Monte Carlo shell model calculations with the KB3 interaction. In accord with empirical indications, we find no systematic temperature dependence of the symmetry energy coefficient, b sym , for T ≤ 1 MeV. This contradicts a recent suggestion that b sym increases by 2.5 MeV at this temperature, which would significantly alter the supernova explosion scenario.