A comprehensive microscopic study of the properties of bulk matter at densities just below nuclear saturation $\rho_s = 2.5 \sim 10^{ 14}$ g cm$^{ -3}$, zero and finite temperature and high neutron fraction, is outlined, and preliminary results presented. Such matter is expected to exist in the inner crust of neutron stars and during the core collapse of massive stars with $M \gtrsim 8M_{ \odot}
Categories: astro-ph nucl-th