Status and plans of the NA61/SHINE physics program

One of the NA61/SHINE experiment??s goals is to discover the critical point of strongly interacting matter and study the properties of the onset of deconfinement. This is to be achieved by performing a two-dimensional phase diagram (T-?? _B ) scan??measuring hadron production in collisions of various beam particles and targets at various beam energies. NA61/SHINE also collects data for the T2K experiment, which are just about to be published.     

Methods to study event-by-event fluctuations in the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS

Theoretical calculations locate the critical point (CP) of strongly interacting matter at energies accessible at the CERN SPS. Event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations are considered as one of the most important tools to search for the CP. Pilot studies of the energy dependence and the system size dependence of both p _T and multiplicity fluctuations were performed by the NA49 experiment. The NA61/SHINE ion program is a continuation of these efforts. After briefly recalling the essential NA49 results on fluctuations we will discuss the technical methods (removing Non-Target interactions) which we plan to apply for future transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuation analyses.     

Low p T phenomena in A+A and p+A collisions at mid-rapidity

CERN experiment NA44 measures pion and kaon distributions at p _T = 0–320 MeV/c at midrapidity in p+A and A+A collisions at 450 and 200A GeV/c, respectively. Pion production from p+Pb and A+A is slightly enhanced at low p _T relative to p+Be, but less than observed at target rapidity. The low p _T behavior can be understood in the context of the RQMD model as arising from baryonic resonance decays.     

Strangeness enhancement in sulphur—Nucleus collisions at 200 A GeV/c

The NA35 experiment used several independent methods to determine the strange particle production in p+S and S+A collisions. The different techniques show consistent results. Strangeness conservation in full phase space is used as an additional check of the consistency of the data. On the base of the analysis in full phase space it could be shown that strangeness conservation is fullfilled. The NA35K _S ⁰ in S+S and S+Ag are consistent with the NA44 results forK ⁺ andK ^?. The results of the NA36 collaboration for S+Pb collisions were extrapolated to full phase space. The comparison with the NA35 results shows more than two times lower yields. The ratio of Λ to $\bar \Lambda $ at midrapidity of NA36 is inconsistent with the high baryon density determind by NA35. The strange particle production is compared to the abundance of non strange particles, especially negatively charged pions which are measured in full phase space in the same experiment. A clear enhanced strange hadron production relative to σ^? is observed in S+Ag collisions compared to p+S reactions at the same energy. TheK _S ⁰ multiplicity in full phase space per negative hadron (h ^?) in S+S, S+Ag and Pb+Pb is enhanced by about a factor 1.6 compared to N+N and p+S collisions. The NA36 result for theK _S ⁰ multiplicity perh ^? in S+Pb is below the N+N value.     

Exploring the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter; news from SPS and RHIC

Two experimental programs are aiming to study nuclear collisions in the energy regime in order to explore an essential part of the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. The programs are motivated by observations that indicate a phase transition to take place in this energy domain: the onset of deconfinement. The STAR collaboration proposes an energy scan in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL. The ongoing program of the NA61/SHINE experiment consists of a two-dimensional energy-system size scan in nuclear and elementary collisions. The goal of both programs is to study the properties of the onset of deconfinement and to eventually discover the conjectured critical point of strongly interacting matter. A comparison of the strengths and limitations reveals the complementarity of the two programs.     

LowpT phenomena in A+A and p+A collisions at mid-rapidity

CERN experiment NA44 measures pion and kaon distributions atpT=0–320 MeV/c at midrapidity in p+A and A+A collisions at 450 and 200A GeV/c, respectively. Pion production from p+Pb and A+A is slightly enhanced at lowpT relative to p+Be, but less than observed at target rapidity. The lowpT behavior can be understood in the context of the RQMD model as arising from baryonic resonance decays.     

Temperature and magnetic field dependence of the elastic properties of the HoxTb1−xCo2 Laves phase compounds

Ultrasonic sound velocity measurements have been carried out in order to determine the adiabatic compressibility and elastic moduli of the pseudobinary Ho_xTb_1?xCo₂ Laves phase compounds. The anomalies, associated with the Curie temperatures and the presence of various spin reorientations, allowed the determination of the spin orientation diagram of the system. The similarity of this spin orientation diagram with that previously established of the Ho_xTb_1?xFe₂ system strongly supports the single rare earth ion model for the magnetic anisotropy behavior of the compounds studied. Measurements carried out in an external magnetic field revealed the presence of a significant ΔE effect.     

Superconductivity of quench-condensed beryllium and beryllium-germanium films

Tunneling experiments on Be films condensed onto helium cooled substrates show that these films are homogeneously disordered with a uniform transition temperatureT _c when Ge is codeposited, whereas thick films of pure Be do not grow homogeneously. For films of Be+10 at.% Ge a ratio 2Δ/k _B T _c =3.7 is found. Phonon induced structure in the tunneling density of states is not observed. The metastable phase obtained by quench-condensation is considered to be a disordered high-temperature phase of Be which transforms to the room temperature phase at about 60 K.     

The influence of magnetoelastic interaction on structural phase transitions in cubic ferromagnetics

In the framework of the Landau theory of phase transitions, the influence of the magnetoelastic interaction on structural transitions in cubic ferromagnetics with a positive first magnetic anisotropy constant is analyzed. It is shown that structural transitions are not accompanied by a reorientation of magnetization in this case. The phase diagrams of such ferromagnetics either contain a termination point of the structural transition or a critical point in which the first-order transition is replaced by a second-order one. Magnetoelastic interaction also leads to the appearance of an interval of the ferromagnetic parameters in which a coupled first-order structural-magnetic transition exists. The phase T?x diagram for Heusler Ni_2+x Mn_1?x Ga alloys is calculated, which is in good agreement with the experimental phase diagram of these alloys.     

Search for the critical point and the onset of deconfinement

A review of the current experimental situation on the search for a critical point in the QCD phase diagram and the onset of deconfinement is given. Ongoing (STAR, NA61), as well as previous (NA49) experiments are presented. Their main results up-to-now are summarized and their findings are put into a general context. The future experimental program (CBM at FAIR, MPD at NICA) is discussed as well.     

Magnetostriction of Hexagonal HoMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and YMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> Single Crystals

We report on the magnetostriction of hexagonal HoMnO₃ and YMnO₃ single crystals in a wide range of applied magnetic fields (up to H = 14 T) at all possible combinations of the mutual orientations of magnetic field H and magnetostriction ΔL/L. The measured ΔL/L(H, T) data agree well with the magnetic phase diagram of the HoMnO₃ single crystal reported previously by other authors. It is shown that the nonmonotonic behavior of magnetostriction of the HoMnO₃ crystal is caused by the Ho³⁺ ion; the magnetic moment of the Mn³⁺ ion parallel to the hexagonal crystal axis. The anomalies established from the magnetostriction measurements of HoMnO₃ are consistent with the phase diagram of these compounds. For the isostructural YMnO₃ single crystal with a nonmagnetic rare-earth ion, the ΔL/L(H, T) dependences are described well by a conventional quadratic law in a wide temperature range (4–100 K). In addition, the magnetostriction effect is qualitatively estimated with regard to the effect of the crystal electric field on the holmium ion.     

Proton scattering from 9Be between 6 and 30 MeV and the structure of 9Be

Differential cross-section excitation functions at lab scattering angles 86.9°, 120.0°, 140.0° and 160.0° were measured for ⁹Be(p, p_o)⁹Be, ⁹Be(p, p₂)⁹Be and ⁹Be(p, d₀)⁸Be at proton lab energies from 6 to 15 MeV in 100 keV steps. A broad anomaly was observed in the ⁹Be(p, p₀)⁹Be excitation functions. Differential cross-section angular distributions were measured for ⁹Be(p, p₀)⁹Be and ⁹Be(p, p₂)⁹Be at lab energies of 13.0, 14.0, 15.0, 21.35 and 30.3 MeV and for ⁹Be(p, d₀)⁸Be at 13.0, 14.0, 15.0 and 21.35 MeV. Angular distributions of polarization analysing powers for ⁹Be($\text{p}$,p₀)⁹Be, ⁹Be(p, p₂)⁹Be and ⁹Be($\text{p}$, d₀)⁸Be were measured at 8.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0 and 15.0 MeV. A spherical optical-model (SOM) analysis of the elastic scattering angular distribution data from 13.0 to 30.3 MeV showed that an energy dependence of only V_R and W_s (volume real and surface imaginary depths) is sufficient to reproduce the measurements. Coupled-channels (CC) analyses were made with a quadrupole-deformed optical-model potential and strong coupling of $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, $\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ and $\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ levels of a $\text{K =}\text{3}\text{2}$ ground-state rotational band of ⁹Be. The ⁹Be(p, p₀)⁹Be and ⁹Be(p, p₂)⁹Be data from 13.0 to 30.3 MeV were analyzed simultaneously at each energy, varying only V_R and W_s with energy, for a potential deformation of β = 1.1. Both SOM and CC analyses indicated the same energy dependence in V_R, while W_s averaged 3.5 MeV lower in CC than in SOM, with both energy dependences consistent with previous analyses of nucleon scattering from 1p shell nuclei.     

The structures of the ammonium halides

A comparison with the alkali halides suggests that all the ammonium halides should occur in the NaCl centre-of-mass structure. Experimentally, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, only NH₄I crystallizes in this structure, while NH₄F is found in the ZnO structure, and NH₄C1 and NH₄Br occur in the CsCl structure. We show that a distributed charge on the NH₄⁺ ion can explain these structures. Taking charges of + 0.2e on each of the five atoms in NH₄⁺, as suggested by other studies, we have recomputed the Madelung energy in the cases of interest. A full ionic theory including electrostatic, van der Waals and repulsive interactions then explains the centre-of-mass structures of all the four ammonium halides. The thermal and pressure transitions are also explained reasonably well. The calculated phase diagram of NH₄F compares well with experiment. Barring the poorly understood NH₄F(II) phase, which is beyond the scope of this work, the other features are in qualitative agreement. In particular, the theory correctly predicts a pressure transition at room temperature from the ZnO structure directly to the CsCl structure without an intermediate NaCl phase. A feature of our approach is that we do not need to invoke hydrogen bonding in NH₄F.     

Electrical properties of copper-manganese spinel solutions and their cation valence and cation distribution

The cation valence and distribution in copper manganese spinels containing 1.0-1.6 mol copper per formula unit (Cu_xMn_3−xO₄) was resolved from their electrical conductivity and thermoelectric properties. The limit of thermal stability of the cubic spinel phase was also determined for each stoichiometry. A corrected phase diagram for the Cu-Mn-O system in air is proposed accordingly. The electronic defect structure could be described through a chemical approach, involving the competition between the redox of Cu⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ to Cu²⁺ and Mn³⁺ and the disproportionation of the Jahn-Teller ion Mn³⁺ into Mn²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺. Thermodynamic parameters for the redox reaction were determined from experimental data as well as calculated, confirming the validity of the modeled defect equilibria.     

Nuclear orientation of111m Cd in Zn and Be and the quadrupole moment of the 245keV state

The 48.7 m^111m Cd activity was implanted in Zn and Be single crystals which were soldered to the cold finger of a dilution refrigerator and kept below 0.2 K during implantation. Subsequent nuclear orientation experiments allowed the determination of the quadrupole interaction frequencyv _Q of the 11/2^? isomeric state of¹¹¹Cd in Zn and Be as ?139 (15) MHz and +43(16) MHz respectively. With these results we derive the quadrupole moment of the 5/2⁺ 245 keV level of¹¹¹Cd including sign asQ = +0.83(13) b and the sign of the electric field gradient for Cd in Be. The half-life of^111m Cd was redetermined as 48.67 (6) m.     

Phase transitions in ferromagnetic Ni2+x Mn1−x Ga alloys with regard for the modulation order parameter

The phase diagram of ferromagnetic alloys Ni_2+x Mn_1?x Ga is reconstructed on the basis of temperature dependences of the resistance. It is seen from this diagram that for small x, structural transitions from the cubic to the tetragonal phase are preceded by structural transformations in the cubic phase. In the framework of the phenomenological Landau theory of phase transitions, phase diagrams of the structural and magnetic phase transitions in these alloys are analyzed with regard for the modulation order parameter. It is shown that premartensitic and postmartensitic phase transitions related to the appearance of the modulated structure can occur along with martensitic transformations. The strain and modulation order parameters substantially affect the magnetic phase transitions via the interaction with the magnetic order parameter.     

Fe2+ localized excitations in the random antiferromagnet with competing spin anisotropies, Fe(1−x)CoxBr2

The Fe²⁺ localized magnetic excitations observed in the Co-rich antiferromagnetic phase of the randomly mixed system with competing Ising and XY spin anisotropies, Fe(_1?x)Co_xBr₂ have been analyzed quantitatively. The calculated frequency-field diagram reproduces well the experiments. The expectation values of the Fe²⁺ spin components in the ground state are calculated. It is shown that even in the Co-rich antiferromagnetic phase Fe²⁺ spins make an angle with the c-plane of the crystal in which Co²⁺ spins are confined.     

X-Ray studies of phase diagrams of the system Mn-Cr-O in air

X-Ray analysis was made of solid solutions and heterogeneous compositions of the general formula Mn_3?xCr_xO_m (0?x ? 3, Δx = 0.05). Subsolidus portions of the high temperature phase equilibria diagram and the diagram of water-quenched phases of the system Mn-Cr-O in air were established in the temperature range 700–1400°C. Comparative analysis of these diagrams has revealed the mechanism of the processes occurring upon rapid cooling of the system (in water and in air in a ceramic crucible) from high temperatures to room temperature. Rapid cooling is shown to preserve the phase composition and crystal structure of nonspinel phases, but for equilibrium solid solutions with spinel or hausmannite structure, this is not always the case. Depending on the quench temperature and the solution composition the following phenomena are observed: (1) tetragonal distortion of a high temperature phase with spinel structure; (2) merging of a tetragonally distorted spinel and spinel and formation of a homogeneous phase with hausmannite structure; (3) decomposition of the homogeneous phase with spinel structure into two spinel-type phases with spinel and hausmannite structures. Possible causes of these phenomena are discussed.     

Bond operator theory for the frustrated anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice

The quantum anisotropic antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with single ion anisotropy, spin S=1 and up to the next-next-nearest neighbor coupling (the J₁–J₂–J₃ model) on a square lattice, is studied using the bond-operator formalism in a mean field approximation. The quantum phase transitions at zero temperature are obtained. The model features a complex T=0 phase diagram, whose ordering vector is subject to quantum corrections with respect to the classical limit. The phase diagram shows a quantum paramagnetic phase situated among Neél, spiral and collinear states.     

A study of the phase diagrams of (NH4)3Ga1−x ScxF6 ammonium cryolites

This paper reports on the results of analyzing p-T and x-T phase diagrams and calorimetric properties of solid solutions in (NH₄)₃Ga_1?x Sc_xF₆ cryolites with scandium concentrations x=0.0, 0.1, 0.35, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0. The thermodynamic parameters of the phase transitions observed in the studied compounds are determined. The generalized phase diagram and successive structural transformations in a series of (NH₄)₃ Me ³⁺F₆ ammonium cryolites are discussed.