Search

A systematic study of the in-medium correction factor ($F$) on nucleon-nucleon elastic cross section is performed within the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD) model. The effects of the beam energy dependence of $F$ on the directed, elliptic flow and nuclear stopping in $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions with energy ranging from $0.09$ to $0.8A$ GeV are explored. It is found that the directed, elliptic flow and nuclear stopping at relatively low energies are very sensitive to $F$, and the sensitivity gradually weakens with increasing beam energy. The beam energy dependent in-medium correction factor $F$ is deduced from the comparison of the excitation functions of the directed, elliptic flow and nuclear stopping between the calculated results and the FOPI experimental data., Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures

It is shown that the inclusion of hadronic interactions, and in particular nuclear potentials, in simulations of heavy ion collisions at the SPS energy range can lead to obvious correlations of protons. These correlations contribute significantly to an intermittency analysis as performed at the NA61 experiment. The beam energy and system size dependence is studied by comparing the resulting intermittency index for heavy ion collisions of different nuclei at beam energies of $40A$, $80A$ and $150A$ GeV. The resulting intermittency index from our simulations is similar to the reported values of the NA61 collaboration, if nuclear interactions are included. The observed apparent intermittency signal is the result of the correlated proton pairs with small relative transverse momentum $\Delta p_{t}$, which would be enhanced by hadronic potentials, and this correlation between the protons is slightly influenced by the coalescence parameters and the relative invariant four-momentum $q_{inv}$ cut., Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures

We study systematically the topological charge density and the chiral density correlations in the early stage of high energy nuclear collisions: the intial condition is given by the McLerran-Venugopalan model and the evolution of the gluon fields is studied via the Classical Yang-Mills equations up to proper time $\tau\approx 1$ fm/c for an $SU(2)$ evolving Glasma. Topological charge is related to the gauge invariant $\bm E \cdot \bm B$ where $\bm E$ and $\bm B$ denote the color-electric and color-magnetic fields, while the chiral density is produced via the chiral anomaly of Quantum Chromodynamics. We study how the correlation lengths are related to the collision energy, and how the correlated domains grow up with proper time in the transverse plane for a boost invariant longitudinal expansion. We estimate the correlation lengths of both quantities, that after a short transient results of the order of the typical energy scale of the model, namely the inverse of the saturation scale. We estimate the proper time for the formation of a steady state in which the production of the chiral density in the transverse plane per unit rapidity slows down, as well as the amount of chiral density that would be present at the switch time between the Classical Yang-Mills evolution and the relativistic transport or hydro for the quark-gluon plasma phase., Comment: Statistics has been improved. A few comments on the Gauss Law and the gauge invariance of the results have been added. This version corresponds to the one accepted for publication on Phys. Rev. D

The difference in elliptic flow $v_{2}$ between protons and antiprotons, produced in $^{197}\text{Au}+^{197}\text{Au}$ collisions at center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5-12~\text{GeV}$, is studied within a modified version of the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model. Two different model scenarios are compared: the cascade mode and the mean field mode which includes potential interactions for both formed and pre-formed hadrons. The model results for the elliptic flow of protons and the relative $v_{2}$ difference between protons and antiprotons obtained from the mean field mode agree with the available experimental data, while the $v_{2}$ difference is near zero for the cascade mode. Our results show that the elliptic flow splitting, observed for particles and antiparticles, can be explained by the inclusion of proper hadronic interactions. In addition, the difference in $v_{2}$ between protons and antiprotons depends on the centrality and the rapidity window. With smaller centrality and/or rapidity acceptance, the observed elliptic flow splitting is more sensitive to the beam energy, indicating a strong net baryon density dependence of the effect. We propose to confirm this splitting at the upcoming experiments from Beam Energy Scan (BES) Phase-\Rmnum{2} at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) at Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), High Intensity heavy ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) and Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA)., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted

A new scheme to study the properties of finite nuclei is proposed based on the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DBHF) approach starting from a bare nucleon-nucleon interaction. The relativistic structure of the nucleon self-energies in nuclear matter depending on density, momentum and isospin asymmetry are determined through a subtracted T-matrix technique and parameterized, which makes them easily accessible for general use. The scalar and vector potentials of a single particle in nuclei are generated via a local density approximation (LDA). The surface effect of finite nuclei can be taken into account by an improved LDA (ILDA), which has successfully been applied in microscopic derivations of the optical model potential for nucleon-nucleus scattering. The bulk properties of nuclei can be determined in a self-consistent scheme for nuclei all over the nuclear mass table. Calculated binding energies agree very well with the empirical data, while the predicted values for radii and spin-orbit splitting of single-particle energies are about 10 \% smaller than the experimental data. Basic features of more sophisticated DBHF calculations for finite nuclei are reproduced.

The Coulomb effect, an essential ingredient in nuclear systems, is quantitatively investigated for certain Skyrmions within the Skyrme model. To do this we calculate the Coulomb energy from numerically generated multi-Skyrmions and, simultaneously, introduce an effective alpha-like particle approximation for large Skyrmions with baryon number $B$, where $B$ is a multiple of four. The calculated Coulomb energies and the corresponding fitted curve from this approximation match well with the results from the numerical method, as well as the behavior of the Coulomb energy in the semi-empirical mass formula. The Skyrme model correctly reproduces the well known results for the Coulomb energy of nuclei. This suggests that the alpha-particles can be used as the fundamental degrees of freedom in the Skyrme model. The Coulomb effect on the binding energy of the Skyrmions increases with baryon number but has a small effect overall. However, the effect could be significantly more pronounced for loosely bound Skyrme models.

With the newly updated version of the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model, a systematic investigation of the effects of in-medium nucleon-nucleon ($NN$) elastic cross section on the collective flow and the stopping observables in $^{197}\text{Au}+^{197}\text{Au}$ collisions at beam energies from 40 to 150 MeV/nucleon is performed. Simulations with the medium correction factor $\mathcal{F}=\sigma^{\text{in-medium}}_{NN}/\sigma^{\text{free}}_{NN}=0.2,~0.3,~0.5$, and the one obtained with the FU3FP1 parametrization which depends on both the density and the momentum are compared to the FOPI and INDRA experimental data. It is found that, to best fit the experimental data of the slope of the directed flow and the elliptic flow at mid-rapidity as well as the nuclear stopping, the correction factor $\mathcal{F}$=0.2 and 0.5 are required for reactions at beam energies of 40 and 150 MeV/nucleon, respectively. While calculations with the FU3FP1 parametrization can simultaneously reproduce these experimental data reasonably well. And, the observed increasing nuclear stopping with increasing beam energy in experimental data can also be reproduced by using the FU3FP1 parametrization, while the calculated stopping power in Au+Au collisions with beam energies from 40 to 150 MeV$/$nucleon almost keeps constant when take $\mathcal{F}$ equal to a fixed value., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. C

By considering three different Nucleon-Nucleon (NN) elastic differential cross sections: the Cugnon \emph{et al.} parameterized differential cross section [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. \textbf{B111}, 215 (1996)], and the differential cross section derived from the collision term of the self-consistent relativistic Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation proposed by Mao \emph{et al.} [Z.\ Phys.\ A {\bf 347}, 173 (1994)], as well as the isotropic differential cross section, within the newly updated version of the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model, the influence of the differential elastic NN cross section on various observables (e.g., nuclear stopping, both the rapidity and transverse-velocity dependence of the directed and elliptic flows) in Au+Au collisions at beam energies 150, 250, 400, and 800 MeV$/$nucleon is investigated. By comparing calculations with those three differential cross sections, it is found that the nuclear stopping power, the directed and elliptic flows are affected to some extent by the differential cross sections, and the impact of differential cross section on those observables becomes more visible as the beam energy increases. The effect on the elliptic flow difference $v_{2}^{n}$-$v_{2}^{H}$ and ratio $v_{2}^{n}$/$v_{2}^{H}$ of neutrons versus hydrogen isotopes ($Z=1$), which have been used as sensitive observables for probing nuclear symmetry energy at high densities, is weak., Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Physical Review C

Within the newly updated version of the Ultra-relativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model in which the Skyrme potential energy-density functional is introduced, the yield ratio between $^3$H and $^3$He clusters emitted from central $^{40}$Ca+$^{40}$Ca, $^{96}$Zr+$^{96}$Zr, $^{96}$Ru+$^{96}$Ru, and $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions in the beam energy range from 0.12 to 1 GeV$/$nucleon is studied. The recent FOPI data for the $^3$H$/$$^3$He ratio are compared with UrQMD calculations using 13 Skyrme interactions (all exhibiting similar values of iso-scalar incompressibility but very different density dependences of the symmetry energy). It is found that the $^3$H$/$$^3$He ratio is sensitive to the nuclear symmetry energy at sub-saturation densities. Model calculations with moderately soft to linear symmetry energies are in agreement with the experimental FOPI data. This result is in line with both, the recent constraints on the low-density symmetry energy available in the literature and our previous results for the high-density symmetry energy obtained with the elliptic flow of free nucleons and hydrogen isotopes as a sensitive probe., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures

Within two different frameworks of isospin-dependent transport model, effect of nuclear symmetry energy at supradensities on the isospin-fractionation (IsoF) was investigated. With positive/negative symmetry potential at supradensities (i.e., values of symmetry energy increase/decrease with density above saturation density), for energetic nucleons, the value of neutron to proton ratio of free nucleons is larger/smaller than that of bound nucleon fragments. Compared with extensively studied quantitative observables of nuclear symmetry energy, the normal or abnormal isospin-fractionation of energetic nucleons can be a qualitative probe of nuclear symmetry energy at supradensities., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Physics Letters B

Within the newly updated version of the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model, the transverse-velocity dependence of the elliptic flow of free nucleons from $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions at the incident energy 400 MeV$/$nucleon is studied within different windows of the normalized c.m. rapidity $y_0$. It is found that the elliptic flow difference $v_{2}^{n}$-$v_{2}^{p}$ and ratio $v_{2}^{n}$/$v_{2}^{p}$ of neutrons versus protons are sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry energy, especially the ratio $v_{2}^{n}$/$v_{2}^{p}$ at small transverse velocity in the intermediate rapidity intervals $0.4<|y_0|<0.6$. By comparing either transverse-momentum dependent or integrated FOPI/LAND elliptic flow data of nucleons and hydrogen isotopes with calculations using various Skyrme interactions, all exhibiting similar values of isoscalar incompressibility but very different density dependences of the symmetry energy, a moderately soft to linear symmetry energy is extracted, in good agreement with previous UrQMD or T\"{u}bingen QMD model calculations but contrasting results obtained with $\pi^-/\pi^+$ yield ratios available in the literature., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. C

Within two different frameworks of isospin-dependent transport model, i.e., Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (IBUU04) and Ultrarelativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD) transport models, sensitive probes of nuclear symmetry energy are simulated and compared. It is shown that neutron to proton ratio of free nucleons, pi-/pi+ ratio as well as isospin-sensitive transverse and elliptic flows given by the two transport models with their "best settings", all have obvious differences. Discrepancy of numerical value of isospin-sensitive n/p ratio of free nucleon from the two models mainly originates from different symmetry potentials used and discrepancies of numerical value of charged pi-/pi+ ratio and isospin-sensitive flows mainly originate from different isospin-dependent nucleon-nucleon cross sections. These demonstrations call for more detailed studies on the model inputs (i.e., the density- and momentum-dependent symmetry potential and the isospin-dependent nucleon-nucleon cross section in medium) of isospin-dependent transport model used. The studies of model dependence of isospin sensitive observables can help nuclear physicists to pin down the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy through comparison between experiments and theoretical simulations scientifically., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, more discussions added, accepted by Phys. Lett. B

The Skyrme potential energy density functional is introduced into the Ultrarelativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD) model and the updated version is applied to studying the directed and elliptic flows of light particles (protons, neutrons, deuterons, tritons, $^3$He and $^4$He) in $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions at beam energies 150, 250 and 400 MeV/nucleon. The results are compared with the recent FOPI experimental data. It is found that the yields and collective flows of light particles can be described quite well. The influence of the equation of state (EoS), medium-modified nucleon-nucleon elastic cross sections (NNECS) and cluster recognition criteria on the directed and elliptic flows is studied in detail. It is found that the flows of light particles are sensitive to the medium-modified NNECS, but not sensitive to the isospin dependent cluster recognition criteria. It seems difficult, however, even with the new data and calculations, to obtain a more accurate constraint on the nuclear incompressibility $K_0$ than the interval 200-260 MeV., Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures,revised version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

We systematically calculate the spontaneous fission half-lives for heavy and superheavy nuclei between U and Fl isotopes. The spontaneous fission process is studied within the semi-empirical WKB approximation. The potential barrier is obtained using a generalized liquid drop model, taking into account the nuclear proximity, the mass asymmetry, the phenomenological pairing correction, and the microscopic shell correction. Macroscopic inertial-mass function has been employed for the calculation of the fission half-life. The results reproduce rather well the experimental data. Relatively long half-lives are predicted for many unknown nuclei, sufficient to detect them if synthesized in a laboratory., Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, accepted version by Nucl. Phys. A

The properties of nuclear matter in the presence of a strong magnetic field, including the density-dependent symmetry energy, the chemical composition and spin polarizations, are investigated in the framework of the relativistic mean field models FSU-Gold. The anomalous magnetic moments (AMM) of the particles and the nonlinear isoscalar-isovector coupling are included. It is found that the parabolic isospin-dependence of the energy per nucleon of asymmetric nuclear matter remains valid for values of the magnetic field below $10^{5}B_{c}^{e}$, $B_{c}^{e}=4.414\times10^{13}$G being the electron critical field. Accordingly, the symmetry energy can be obtained by the difference of the energy per nucleon in pure neutron matter and that in symmetric matter. The symmetry energy, which is enhanced by the presence of the magnetic field, significantly affects the chemical composition and the proton polarization. The effects of the AMM of each component on the energy per nucleon, symmetry energy, chemical composition and spin polarization are discussed in detail., Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Nucl. Phys. A

The alpha decay half-lives of the recently produced isotopes of the 112, 114, 116 and 118 nuclei and decay products have been calculated in the quasi-molecular shape path using the experimental Qalpha value and a Generalized Liquid Drop Model including the proximity effects between nucleons in the neck or the gap between the nascent fragments. Reasonable estimates are obtained for the observed alpha decay half-lives. The results are compared with calculations using the Density-Dependent M3Y effective interaction and the Viola-Seaborg-Sobiczewski formulae. Generalized Liquid Drop Model predictions are provided for the alpha decay half-lives of other superheavy nuclei using the Finite Range Droplet Model Qalpha and compared with the values derived from the VSS formulae.