Nuclear matter properties and relativistic mean-field theory

Nuclear matter properties are calculated in the relativistic mean-field theory by using a number of different parameter sets. The result shows that the volume energy a₁ and the symmetry energy J are around the acceptable values 16MeV and 30MeV, respectively; the incompressibility K₀ is unacceptably high in the linear model, but assumes reasonable value if nonlinear terms are included; the density symmetry L is around 100MeV for most parameter sets, and the symmetry incompressibility K _s has positive sign which is opposite to expectations based on the nonrelativistic model. In almost all parameter sets there exists a critical point (,), where the minimum and the maximum of the equation of state are coincident and the incompressibility equals zero, falling into ranges 0.014fm^-3 < < 0.039fm^-3 and 0.74 < ≤0.95; for a few parameter sets there is no critical point and the pure neutron matter is predicted to be bound. The maximum mass M _NS of neutron stars is predicted in the range 2.45M ?M _NS? 3.26M , the corresponding neutron star radius R _NS is in the range 12.2km ?R _NS? 15.1km. Received: 5 May 2000 / Accepted: 28 November 2000     

Nuclear matter properties in relativistic mean-field model with σ- ω coupling

The σ-ω coupling is introduced phenomenologically in the linear σ-ω model to study the nuclear matter properties. It is shown that not only the effective nucleon mass M^* but also the effective σ meson mass m _σ ^* and the effective ω meson mass m _ω ^* are nucleon-density-dependent. When the model parameters are fitted to the nuclear saturation point, with the nuclear radius constant r ₀ = 1.14 fm and volume energy a ₁ = 16.0 MeV, as well as to the effective nucleon mass M ^* = 0.85M, the model yields m _σ ^* = 1.09m _σ and m _ω ^* = 0.90m _ω at the saturation point, and the nuclear incompressibility K ₀ = 501 MeV. The lowest value of K₀ given by this model by adjusting the model parameters is around 227 MeV. Received: 23 March 2001 / Accepted: 8 June 2001     

Determination of nonlinear σ-ω-ρ model parameters in the relativistic mean-field theory by nuclear-matter properties

The parameters of the σ-ω-ρ model in the relativistic mean-field theory with nonlinear σ-meson self-interaction are determined by nuclear-matter properties, which are taken as those extracted by fits to data based on nonrelativistic nuclear models. The values of the relevant parameters are C _σ ²∼ 94, C _ω ²∼ 32, C _ρ ²∼ 26, b∼ - 0.09, c∼ 1, and the σ-meson mass m _σ∼ 370 MeV, while the value of the calculated nuclear- surface thickness is t∼ 1.4 fm. The field system is shown to be stable, since the σ-meson self-interaction energy is a lower bound in this whole parameter region with positive c. On the other hand, the effective nucleon mass M^* is larger than 0.73M, if the symmetry incompressibility K_s is assumed to be negative and the nuclear-matter incompressibility K₀ is kept less than 300 MeV. Received: 27 June 2001 / Accepted: 5 October 2001     

Impurity nuclear physics

Using a germanium-detector array for hypernuclear γ spectroscopy (Hyperball), we measured B(E2) of the ⁷ _ΛLi hypernucleus and observed a significant shrinkage of the ⁶Li core induced by a Λ-particle. In this way, nuclear properties can be drastically changed by introducing a Λ-particle, which can be investigated by high-resolution hypernuclear γ spectroscopy. In the future neutron-rich hypernuclei will also be studied, where interesting modifications of nuclear structure by a Λ-particle are expected. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Single-particle potential in a chiral approach to nuclear matter including short-range NN-terms

We extend a recent chiral approach to nuclear matter of Lutz et al.Phys. Lett. B 474, 7 (2000)) by calculating the underlying (complex-valued) single-particle potential U(p, k _f) + iW(p, k _f). The potential for a nucleon at the bottom of the Fermi sea, U(0, k _f0) = - 20.0 MeV, comes out as much too weakly attractive in this approach. Even more seriously, the total single-particle energy does not rise monotonically with the nucleon momentum p, implying a negative effective nucleon mass at the Fermi surface. Also, the imaginary single-particle potential, W(0, k _f0) = 51.1 MeV, is too large. More realistic single-particle properties together with a good nuclear-matter equation of state can be obtained if the short-range contributions of non-pionic origin are treated in mean-field approximation (i.e. if they are not further iterated with 1π-exchange). We also consider the equation of state of pure neutron matter ˉE_n(k _n) and the asymmetry energy A(k _f) in that approach. The downward bending of these quantities above nuclear-matter saturation density seems to be a generic feature of perturbative chiral pion-nucleon dynamics. Received: 19 December 2002 / Accepted: 11 February 2003 / Published online: 15 April 2003     

Neutrino-nucleon scattering rate in proto-neutron star matter

We present a calculation of the neutrino-nucleon scattering cross-section which takes into account the nuclear correlations in the relativistic random phase approximation (RPA). Our approach is based on a quantum-hadrodynamics model with exchange of σ, ω, π, ρ and δ mesons. In view of applications to neutrino transport in the final stages of supernova explosion and proto-neutron star cooling, we study the evolution of the neutrino mean free path as a function of density, proton-neutron asymmetry and temperature. Special attention was paid to the issues of renormalization of the Dirac sea, residual interactions in the tensor channel, coupling to the delta-meson and meson mixing. In contrast with the results of other authors, we find that the neutral-current process is not sensitive to the strength g' of the residual contact interaction. As a consequence, it is found that RPA corrections with respect to the mean-field approximation amount to only 10% to 15% at high density. Received: 27 June 2001 / Accepted: 14 January 2002     

The local potential approximation for the Brueckner G-matrix and a simple model of the scalar-isoscalar Landau-Migdal amplitude

The Brueckner G-matrix for a slab of nuclear matter is analyzed in the singlet ^1S and triplet ³ S + ³ D channels. The complete Hilbert space is split into two domains, the model subspace S₀, in which the two-particle propagator is calculated explicitly, and the complementary one, S', in which the local potential approximation is used. This kind of local approximation was previously found to be quite accurate for the ^1S pairing problem. A set of model spaces S ₀(E ₀) with different values of the energy E₀ is considered, E₀ being the upper limit for the single-particle energies of the states belonging to S₀. The independence of the G-matrix on E₀ is assumed as a criterion for the validity of the local potential approximation. It turns out that such an independence holds within few percents for E ₀ = 10-20 MeV, for both channels under consideration. The G-matrix within the local potential approximation is used for justifying a simple microscopic model for the coordinate-dependent scalar-isoscalar component f (r) of the Landau-Migdal amplitude in terms of the free T-matrix. Received: 2 November 2001 / Accepted: 4 January 2002     

Phase transition to color-flavor-locked matter and condensation of Goldstone bosons in neutron star matter

Deconfinement phase transition and condensation of Goldstone bosons in neutron star matter are investigated in a chiral hadronic model (also referred as to the FST model) for the hadronic phase (HP) and in the color-flavor-locked (CFL) quark model for the deconfined quark phase. It is shown that the hadronic-CFL mixed phase (MP) exists in the center of neutron stars with a small bag constant, while the CFL quark matter cannot appear in neutron stars when a large bag constant is taken. Color superconductivity softens the equation of state (EOS) and decreases the maximum mass of neutron stars compared with the unpaired quark matter. The K⁰ condensation in the CFL phase has no remarkable contribution to the EOS and properties of neutron star matter. The EOS and the properties of neutron star matter are sensitive to the bag constant B, the strange quark mass m_s and the color superconducting gap Δ. Increasing B and m_s or decreasing Δ can stiffen the EOS which results in the larger maximum masses of neutron stars.     

The Z = 82 shell closure in neutron-deficient Pb isotopes

Recent mass measurements show a substantial weakening of the binding-energy difference δ_2p(Z, N) = E(Z - 2, N) - 2E(Z, N) + E(Z + 2, N) in the neutron-deficient Pb isotopes. As δ_2p is often attributed to the size of the proton magic gap, it might be speculated that reduction in δ_2p is related to a weakening of the spherical Z = 82 shell. We demonstrate that the observed trend is described quantitatively by self-consistent mean-field models in terms of deformed ground states of Hg and Po isotopes. Received: 25 October 2001 / Accepted: 28 February 2002     

Enhanced electron screening in d (d, p)t for deuterated Ta*

The recent observation of a large electron screening effect in the d(d, p)t reaction using a deuterated Ta target has been confirmed using somewhat different experimental approaches: U _e = 309±12 eV for the electron screening potential energy. The high U _e value arises from the environment of the deuterons in the Ta matrix, but a quantitative explanation is missing. Received: 21 December 2001 / Accepted: 29 January 2002     

Structure of neutron-rich Λ hypernuclei

Properties of light neutron-rich Λ hypernuclei (¹⁶ _ΛC, ¹² _ΛBe, and ¹¹ _ΛLi) are calculated within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach. Interplay between hypernuclear interaction features and properties of these hypernuclei is studied. Response of weakly bound neutron states to hyperon addition depends generally on core distortion by hyperon, and it is essentially different for the different states. This response is especially sensitive to details of the ΛN interaction for 1p _1/2 states. Implications of the nuclear spin-orbit potential and nuclear incompressibility in the neutron-rich system properties are inferred. Dependence of the Λ binding energies in hypernuclei on Z at fixed A is discussed. Received: 16 December 1998     

Propagation of mesons in asymmetric nuclear matter in a density-dependent coupling model

We study the propagation of the light mesons σ,ω,ρ, and a₀(980) in dense hadronic matter in an extended derivative scalar coupling model. Within the scheme proposed it is possible to unambiguously define effective density-dependent couplings at the Lagrangian level. We first apply the model to study asymmetric nuclear matter with fixed isospin asymmetry, and then we pay particular attention to hypermatter in β-equilibrium. The equation of state and the potential contribution to the symmetry coefficient arising from the mean-field approximation are investigated. Received: 16 October 2001 / Accepted: 10 January 2002     

Testing Dirac-Brueckner models in collective flow of heavy-ion collisions

We investigate differential in-plane and out-of-plane flow observables in heavy-ion reactions at intermediate energies from 0.2-2 AGeV within the framework of relativistic BUU transport calculations. The mean field is based on microscopic Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DB) calculations. We apply two different sets of DB predictions, those of ter Haar and Malfliet and more recent ones from the Tübingen group, which are similar in general but differ in details. The latter DB calculations exclude spurious contributions from the negative-energy sector to the mean field which results in a slightly softer equation of state and a less repulsive momentum dependence of the nucleon-nucleus potential at high densities and high momenta. For the application to heavy-ion collisions in both cases non-equilibrium features of the phase space are taken into account on the level of the effective interaction. The systematic comparison to experimental data favours the less repulsive and softer model. Relative to non-relativistic approaches one obtains larger values of the effective nucleon mass. This produces a sufficient amount of repulsion to describe the differential flow data reasonably well. Received: 8 January 2001 / Accepted: 12 November 2001     

Polyelectrolyte chains in poor solvent. A variational description of necklace formation

We study the properties of polyelectrolyte chains under different solvent conditions, using a variational technique. The free energy and the conformational properties of a polyelectrolyte chain are studied by minimizing the free energy F_N, depending on N(N - 1)/2 trial probabilities that characterize the conformation of the chain. The Gaussian approximation is considered for a ring of length 2⁴ < N < 2⁸ and for an open chain of length 50 < N < 200 in poor- and theta-solvent conditions, including a Coulomb repulsion between the monomers. In theta-solvent conditions the blob size is measured and found in agreement with scaling theory, including charge depletion effects, expected for the case of an open chain. In poor-solvent conditions, a globule instability, driven by electrostatic repulsion, is observed. We notice also inhomogeneous behavior of the monomer-monomer correlation function, reminiscence of necklace formation in poor-solvent polyelectrolyte solutions. A global phase diagram in terms of solvent quality and inverse Bjerrum length is presented. Received 7 June 2001 and Received in final form 17 October 2001     

Measurement of GEp/GMp via polarization transfer at Q2 = 0.4 GeV /c2

The polarization transfer from longitudinally polarized electrons to protons in the elastic scattering p( e, e' p) has been measured around Q² = 0.4 (GeV/c)² with the three-spectrometer facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI. From this polarization transfer the ratio G _Ep/(G _Mp/μ_p) has been determined. The ratio is found to be slightly less than unity in agreement with recent results from other laboratories and from the Rosenbluth separation of cross-sections measured with unpolarized electrons. Received: 26 July 2001 / Accepted: 25 September 2001     

High-spin states in <Superscript>36</Superscript>Ar and their underlying shell model configurations

Eight high-spin states in ³⁶Ar below 10MeV excitation energy, among them a prospective J ^π = 8^- state at 9408keV and the J? 8 levels of the recently discovered superdeformed rotational band, have been observed by n-γ coincidence measurements with the ³³S(α, nγ) reaction at E _α = 14.4 and 13.4MeV. High-spin assignments of, respectively, J ^π = 6⁺ and 5^- were obtained for the E _p = 1209 and 1462keV (E _x = 9682 and 9927keV) resonances of the ³⁵Cl (p,γ) reaction by a measurement of γ-ray angular distributions. The spectrum of the high-spin and of the E _x? 7.4MeV levels is decomposed according to the underlying shell model configurations with n = 0, 1, 2, 4 particles excited from the N = 2 into the N = 3 major shell. The role of four-particle excitations, all connected with large prolate distortions, is elucidated for the entire A = 36-40 mass region. Received: 21 December 2001 / Accepted: 25 March 2002     

A new alpha-particle-emitting isotope 259Db

An isotope of the element 105 with mass number 259 has been produced via the reaction ²⁴¹Am(²²Ne, 4n)²⁵⁹Db at E _lab = 118 MeV. The reaction products were transported and collected using the helium-jet technique and the rotating wheel apparatus. The α-decays of the products and their daughter nuclides were detected by a set of Si(Au) detectors arranged ingeniously. The Z and A of the nuclide have been unambiguously identified by the genetic relationship between the new activity and the known nuclide ²⁵⁵Lr established by α-recoiled milking measurement. The new nuclide ²⁵⁹Db has a half-life of 0.51±0.16 s and decays by alpha-particle emission of E _α = 9.47 MeV. Furthermore, the nuclide ²⁵⁸Db and its daughter ²⁵⁴Lr have also been clearly observed using the same projectile-target combination. Their half-lives and α-particle energies determined in this work are in agreement with previous known data, thus also proving the reliability of our assignment of ²⁵⁹Db. Received: 7 December 2000 / Accepted: 6 February 2001     

Measurement of the tensor analyzing power Ayy in the inelastic scattering of deuterons in the vicinity of excitation of baryonic resonances

The tensor A_yy and vector A_y analyzing powers in the inelastic scattering of deuterons with a momentum of 4.5 GeV/c on beryllium at an angle of 80 mr in the vicinity of baryonic resonances excitation have been measured. The A_yy data being in good agreement with the previous results obtained at a zero angle demonstrate an approximate t scaling up to - 0.9 (GeV/c)². The results of the experiment are compared with the predictions of the multiple-scattering and -meson exchange models. Received: 20 April 2000 / Accepted: 29 May 2000     

Low-energy ηd-resonance

Elastic ηd-scattering is considered within the Alt-Grassberger-Sandhas (AGS) formalism for various ηN input data. A three-body resonant state is found close to the ηd threshold. This resonance is sustained for different choices of the two-body ηN-scattering length a _ηN. The position of the resonance moves towards the ηd threshold when Rea _ηN is increased, and turns into a quasi-bound state at Rea _ηN∼ 0.7-0.8 fm depending on the choice of Ima _ηN. Received: 12 June 2000 / Accepted: 3 August 2000