Direct versus thermal particle emission in high-energy heavy-ion collisions

Recent measurements of proton inclusive cross sections for heavy-ion collisions at several hundred MeV per nucleon are discussed in a phenomenological model which assumes coexistence of direct and thermal particle emission. The model postulates the existence of an additive twocomponent structure for inclusive spectra. The two components consist of a direct and a thermal one. The direct component is described in an extended impulse approximation and the thermal component in the participant-spectator geometrical model. Their normalizations are fixed by geometrical considerations. With this model we calculate the charged particle and proton inclusive spectra for Ne on U at 250 MeV per nucleon, Ne on U and Ne on Al at 400 MeV per nucleon, and Ne on NaF at 800 MeV per nucleon. A comparison is made with corresponding data. At 250 MeV and 400 MeV per nucleon, we find the postulated two-component structure to be instrumental in reproducing satisfactorily the slopes and the magnitudes of the data in the critical forward angle region. At 800 MeV per nucleon, due to the larger transparency of the nuclei, non-equilibrium statistical components appear to be important.     

K+ production in a cascade model for high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions

The K⁺ production is studied for the p + NaF, Ne + NaF, Ne + Pb systems at 2.1 GeV/A in the frame of a 3-dimensional cascade model. Owing to the small elementary production cross sections, the K⁺ production is calculated perturbatively. Two kinds of production processes are introduced: baryon-baryon collisions leading to three-particle final states, and pion-nucleon collisions leading to two-body final states. The time evolution of the two processes is studied. The integrated K⁺ cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental data. The contribution of the πN induced mechanism is of the order of 25% for Ne + NaF, but increases with the size of the system. Scaling properties are discussed. A simple rescattering model is used to calculate the invariant cross section for the Ne + NaF case. Good agreement with experiment is obtained, except at forward angles.     

Non-equilibrium processes in heavy-ion collisions at relativistic energies

We use transport theory to describe the inclusive cross sections for protons and pions produced in collisions between two identical heavy ions at an energy of 800 MeV per particle. In addition to the nucleonic we take the Δ-degree of freedom into account. Thus we consider a two-component system whose distributions in transverse momentum and rapidity we describe by two coupled Fokker-Planck equations. These transport equations contain the one-nucleon knock-out process as initial condition. In the limit of large interaction times they lead to thermal equilibrium (fireball) distributions. For light nuclei the interaction time is not large enough for equilibrium to be reached. A recent experiment for two colliding carbon nuclei at 800 MeV per nucleon shows evidence of nonequilibrium effects. We compare our calculations with experimental data for ¹²C on ¹²C and Ne on NaF at 800 MeV/N.     

Fine structure in theα decay of192Po

The production of energetic π^? at 0° has been measured in Ne+NaF and Ni+Ni collisions with incident energies between 1.3 and 2AGeV. In Ne+NaF collisions the investigation was extended to extreme subthreshold processes with lab momenta up to 4.5 GeV/c. In both systems at all incident energies the π^? production cross sections deviate in a systematic way from thermal distributions.     

Nuclear collective flow and charged-pion emission in Ne-nucleus collisions at E/A = 800 MeV

Triple-differential cross sections of charged pions were measured for collisions of Ne projectiles at E/A = 800 MeV with NaF, Nb, and Pb targets. The reaction plane was estimated event by event from the light-baryon momentum distribution. For heavy targets, preferential emission of charged pions away from the interaction zone towards the projectile side was observed in the transverse direction. Such a preferential emission, which is not predicted by cascade calculations, may be attributed to a stronger pion absorption by the heavier spectator remnant.     

Cascade model of inelastic interactions of α-particles with nuclei

Based on the two-component model (direct plus thermal) introduced in a previous article we calculate and discuss proton-inclusive energy and angular distributions associated with low- and high-multiplicity selected events. In particular, we study proton production from Ne on U and Ne on Al at 400 MeV/N, and from Ar on KCl at 800 MeV/N.     

Subthreshold antiproton andK − production in heavy ion collisions

Subthreshold ¯p andK ^– and energetic ^– production was studied in Ne + NaF, Cu, Sn and Bi, and in Ni + Ni collisions with incident energies between 1.6 and 2 GeV/u. The measured cross sections indicate a dominant contribution of baryonic resonances. This is also consistent with a generalized scaling behaviour of the cross sections with the energy available in the collision and the energy necessary to produce particles as observed with Ne induced reactions. Deviations from scaling especially pronounced in the Ni-Ni system will be discussed in terms of absorption effects. The flat slope of the excitation function for ¯p production can be related to a reduced production threshold caused by a reduction of the antiproton mass in the dense and heated medium by about 100—150 MeV/c². A similar in-medium mass reduction is also indicated forK ^– mesons. An increased ¯p reabsorption probability for the heavier systems is concluded from the comparison of the ¯p yields in Ne + NaF, Ne + Sn and Ni + Ni collisions.Dedicated to Professor Klaus Dietrich on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

A particle-hole calculation for pion production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

A differential cross section for π-meson production in peripheral heavy-ion collisions is formulated within the context of a particle-hole model in the Tamm-Dancoff approximation. This is the first attempt at a fully quantum-mechanical particle-hole calculation for pion production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The particular reaction studied is an ¹⁶O projectile colliding with a ¹²C target at rest. In the projectile we form a linear combination of isobar-hole states, with the possibility of a coherent isobar giant resonance. The target can be excited to its giant M1 resonance (J^π = 1⁺, T = 1) at 15.11 MeV, or to its isobar analog neighbours, ¹²B at 13.4 MeV and ¹²N at 17.5 MeV. The theory is compared to recent experimental results.     

Rho0 production and possible modification in Au+Au and p+p collisions at square root [sNN] = 200 GeV

We report results on rho(770)(0)-->pi(+)pi(-) production at midrapidity in p+p and peripheral Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. This is the first direct measurement of rho(770)(0)-->pi(+)pi(-) in heavy-ion collisions. The measured rho(0) peak in the invariant mass distribution is shifted by approximately 40 MeV/c(2) in minimum bias p+p interactions and approximately 70 MeV/c(2) in peripheral Au+Au collisions. The rho(0) mass shift is dependent on transverse momentum and multiplicity. The modification of the rho(0) meson mass, width, and shape due to phase space and dynamical effects are discussed.     

Roles of N?→NN and πN→? Reactions in Heavy-Ion Collisions at Intermediate Energies

Within the framework of the isospin-dependent transport model, the roles of the reactions N? → NN and πN→ ? are investigated through simulating heavy-ion collisions at 1000 MeV/nucleon. The absorption process N? → NN plays an important role for heavy impact systems and small impact parameters than for light impact systems and large impact parameters. The resorption process πN→ ? is of importance for heavy impact systems and large impact parameters than for light impact systems and small impact parameters. Thus the influences of the reaction N? → N N(πN→ ?) on pion production dynamics can be neglected in heavy-ion collisions for smaller(larger) impact parameters and light systems. It is the reaction πN→ ? that causes the anti-correlation of pions and nucleons in the rapidity dependence of the directed flow.     

Theoretical estimates for the production of transuranium elements in heavy-ion collisions

A thick target experiment of the U+U reaction at 7.5 MeV/u is analyzed within the diffusion model for dissipative heavy-ion collisions. Cross sections for the production of superheavy elements as well as probability distributions of excitation energies and spins as function of fragment charge are estimated. The influence from changes of incident energy and projectile-target combination is studied.     

Target Residues from the Interaction of Copper with 40MeV/u 40Ar Ions

Cross Sections and average forward recoil range FW were measured for target residues from the interaction of Cu with 40MeV/u ⁴⁰Ar ions using off-line y-ray spectroscopy.The mass yield distribution was obtained with assumption of charge distribution.The linear momentum transfer was calculated from FW values.A comparison with similar results of ¹²C+Cu and ²⁰Ne+Cu reactions indicates that the fractional linear momentum transfer,corresponding to central collisions,decreases with increasing projectile mass at the same energy per nucleon. However,the excitation energy of the composite system created from the collisions of Cu with ⁴⁰Ar ions reached the value of 5.3MeV /u and was higher than those from the collisions with ¹²C and ²⁰Ne ions.     

Hadronic matter is soft

The stiffness of the hadronic equation of state has been extracted from the production rate of K+ mesons in heavy-ion collisions around 1 AGeV incident energy. The data are best described with a compression modulus K around 200 MeV, a value which is usually called "soft." This is concluded from a detailed comparison of the results of transport theories with the experimental data using two different procedures: (i) the energy dependence of the ratio of K+ from Au+Au and C+C collisions and (ii) the centrality dependence of the K+ multiplicities. It is demonstrated that input quantities of these transport theories which are not precisely known, such as the kaon-nucleon potential, the deltaN --> NK+lambda cross section, or the lifetime of the delta in matter, do not modify this conclusion.     

高能重离子碰撞中末态粒子的极角分布

在反应平面内不同极角方向为z轴的质心坐标系中,分析了末态粒子方向角分布的非对称性,建立了一种确定集合侧向流流角的方法.在以流方向为z轴的质心坐标系中研究了Bevalac流光室1.2AGeV Ar+KCl、1.2AGeV Ne+NaF和2.1AGeV Ne+NaF三种反应中末态粒子的极角分布,对末态粒子非对称发射部分所占的比例及其在流方向的集中程度做出了定量的估计.     

40MeV/u 40Ar与Cu相互作用的靶余核

使用离线y能谱法和厚靶──厚收集箔技术测量了40MeV/u ⁴⁰Ar和Cu相互作用中靶余核的生成截面和前向平均反冲射程FW值.根据电荷分布假设得到了靶余核的质量产额分布.从FW值导出了重离子碰撞中的线性动量转移.与¹²C+Cu和²⁰Ne+Cu的类似结果比较指出,在相同的弹核速度下,相应于中心碰撞的相对线性动量转移随弹核质量增加而减小,但是在⁴⁰Ar离子和Cu的中心碰撞中产生的复合系统的激发能比¹²C和²⁰Ne离子碰撞情况下更高,达到每核子5.3MeV.     

Flavor-dependent photoproduction in heavy-ion collisions

Strong electromagnetic fields produced in the non-central heavy-ion collisions can induce vector meson photoproduction. In this paper, we study the photoproduction J/ψ and φ mesons in the relativistic heavy-ion collision from ultra-peripheral nuclear collisions to peripheral hadronic heavy ion collisions. And then include both initial hadronic production and thermal production in quark-gluon plasma (QGP). We find, for the charm anti-charm bound state J/ψ, the photoproduced J/ψs are mainly in the very low momentum region and clearly exceed the hadronic production. However, considering the thermal production of strange quark anti-quark pairs in QGP produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, the photoproduced φ is usually smaller than the thermal production and only evident at very peripheral collisions as even their photoproduction is much larger than J/ψ.     

Exclusive measurements of mean pion multiplicities in 4He-nucleus reactions from 200 to 800 MeV/nucleon

Mean multiplicities of pi+ and pi- in 4He collisions with C, Cu, and Pb at 200, 600, and 800 MeV/u, and with C and Pb at 400 MeV/u have been measured using the large solid angle detector Diogene. The independence of pion multiplicity on projectile incident energy, target mass and proton multiplicity is studied in comparison with intra-nuclear cascade predictions. The discrepancy between experimental results and theory is pointed out and discussed.     

RHIC能区Au+Au碰撞中集合径向流的研究

利用相对论量子分子动力学模型RQMD,对RHIC能区s=200A GeV Au+Au碰撞的集体膨胀效应进行了研究,对散射粒子的横质量谱进行了分析.研究表明,在RHIC能区的重离子反应中存在有强的集合径向流.对单粒子谱的拟合结果给出Au+Au的源冻结温度为160MeV,平均径向流速度为0.6c.     

Isospin effects in nuclear fragmentation

The availability of radioactive heavy-ion beams has driven a large interest in studies of nuclear structure of unstable nuclei. Some essential information in this field can come from investigations of charge asymmetry effects on nonequilibrium dynamics. It is therefore very important to understand the properties of the symmetry term in the nuclear matter equation of state. The purpose of this work is to extract valuable information about the symmetry term in the nuclear equation of state by studying the multifragmentation processes occurring during intermediate-energy heavy-ion reactions. We will concentrate on those observables in fragment production that are particularly sensitive to the symmetry term. The calculations are performed within the semiclassical Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck approach with the inclusion of nuclear density fluctuations. We consider neutron-poor and neutron-rich Sn + Sn reactions at 50 MeV/A, with the N/Z ratio varying from 1.24 to 1.48. Both central and peripheral collisions are investigated. Some comparison with the experimental data obtained in the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University is presented.     

Probing of complete and incomplete fusion dynamics in heavy-ion collision

Three different types of experiments have been performed to explore the complete and incomplete fusion dynamics in heavy-ion collisions. In this respect, first experiment for the measurement of excitation functions of the evaporation residues produced in the ²⁰Ne + ¹⁶⁵Ho system at projectile energy ranges ≈2–8 MeV /nucleon has been done. Measured cumulative and direct cross-sections have been compared with the theoretical model code PACE-2, which takes into account only the complete fusion process. It has been observed that, incomplete fusion fraction is sensitively dependent on projectile energy and mass asymmetry between the projectile and the target systems. Second experiment for measuring the forward recoil range distributions of the evaporation residues produced in the ²⁰Ne + ¹⁶⁵Ho system at projectile energy ≈8 MeV /nucleon has been done. It has been observed that, some evaporation residues have shown additional peaks in the measured forwardrecoil range distributions at cumulative thicknesses relatively smaller than the expected range of the residues produced via complete fusion. The results indicate the occurrence of incomplete fusion involving the breakup of ²⁰Ne into ⁴He + ¹⁶O and /or ⁸Be + ¹²C followed by one of the fragments with target nucleus ¹⁶⁵Ho. Third experiment for the measurement of spin distribution of the evaporation residues produced in the ¹⁶O + ¹²⁴Sn system at projectile energy ≈6 MeV /nucleon, showed that the residues produced as incomplete fusion products associated with fast α and 2 α-emission channels observed in the forward cone, are found to be distinctly different from those of the residues produced as complete fusion products. The spin distribution of the evaporation residues also inferred that in incomplete fusion reaction channels input angular momentum (J ₀) increases with fusion incompleteness when compared to complete fusion reaction channels. Present observation clearly shows that the production of fast forward α-particles arises from relatively larger angular momentum in the entrance channel leading to peripheral collision.