A-dependence of the γ- and p-induced production of the Λ(1520) from nuclei

Using results of a recent calculation of the Λ(1520) in the nuclear medium, which show that the medium width is about five times the free width, we study the A-dependence of the Λ(1520) production cross-section in the reactions γA → K⁺Λ(1520)A^′ and pA → pK⁺Λ(1520)A^′. We find a sizable A-dependence in the ratio of the nuclear cross-sections for heavy nuclei with respect to a light one due to the large value of the Λ(1520) width in the medium, showing that devoted experiments, easily within reach in present facilities, can provide good information on that magnitude by measuring the cross-sections studied here.     

Correlations in hypernuclear matter

We investigate short-range correlations in nuclear and hypernuclear matter. Self-energies due to short-range correlations and their influence on the nucleon and Λ -hyperon spectral functions are described in an approach accounting for a realistic treatment of mean-field dynamics and a self-consistently derived quasi-particle interaction. Landau-Migdal theory is used to derived the short-range interaction from a phenomenological Skyrme energy density functional, subtracting the long-range pionic contributions to the nucleonic spectral functions. We discuss our results for different hyperon-baryon ratios to show the influence of strangeness on the correlations in hypernuclear matter.     

Saturation of nuclear matter and realistic interactions

In this communication we study symmetric nuclear matter for the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach, using two realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions (CD-Bonn and Bonn C). The single-particle energy is calculated self-consistently from the real on-shell self-energy. The relation between different expressions for the pressure is studied in cold nuclear matter. For best calculations the self-energy is calculated with the inclusion of hole-hole (hh) propagation. The effects of hh contributions and a self-consistent treatment within the framework of the Green function approach are investigated. Using two different methods, namely, G-matrix and bare potential, the hh term is calculated. We found that using G-matrix brought about non-negligible contribution to the self-energy, but this difference is very small and can be ignored if compared with the large contribution coming from particle-particle term. The contribution of the hh term leads to a repulsive contribution to the Fermi energy which increases with density. For extended Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach the Fermi energy at the saturation point fulfills the Hugenholtz-Van Hove relation.     

Thermodynamic consistency for nuclear matter calculations

We investigate the relation between the binding energy and the Fermi energy and between different expressions for the pressure in cold nuclear matter. For a self-consistent calculation based on a Φ derivable T-matrix approximation with off-shell propagators, the thermodynamic relations are well satisfied unlike for a G-matrix or a T-matrix approach using quasi-particle propagators in the ladder diagrams. Received: 8 February 2001 / Accepted: 11 June 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     

Nuclear matter with off-shell propagation

Symmetric nuclear matter is studied within the conserving, self-consistent T-matrix approximation. This approach involves off-shell propagation of nucleons in the ladder diagrams. The binding energy receives contributions from the background part of the spectral function, away from the quasiparticle peak. The Fermi energy at the saturation point fulfills the Hugenholz-Van Hove relation. In comparison to the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach, the binding energy is reduced and the equation of state is stiffer. Received: 16 April 2002 / Accepted: 10 June 2002 / Published online: 26 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: bozek@sothis.ifj.edu.pl Communicated by A. Molinari     

Scales in nuclear matter: Chiral dynamics with pion nucleon form factors<Superscript>⋆</Superscript>

A systematic calculation of nuclear matter is performed which includes the long-range correlations between nucleons arising from one- and two-pion exchange. Three-body effects from 2π exchange with excitations of virtual Δ(1232)-isobars are also taken into account in our diagrammatic calculation of the energy per particle ˉ(k _f). In order to eliminate possible high-momentum components from the interactions we introduce at each pion-baryon vertex a form factor of monopole type. The empirical nuclear matter saturation point, ρ₀ ≃ 0.16fm^-3, ˉ₀ ≃ - 16MeV, is well reproduced with a monopole mass of Λ ≃ 4πf _π ≃ 1.16GeV. As in the recent approach based on the universal low-momentum NN potential V _low-k, the inclusion of three-body effects is crucial in order to achieve saturation of nuclear matter. We demonstrate that the dependence of the pion exchange contributions to ˉ(k _f) on the “resolution” scale Λ can be compensated over a wide range of Λ by counterterms with two “running” contact couplings. As a further application we study the in-medium chiral condensate 〈ˉq〉(ρ) beyond the linear density approximation. For ρ ⩽ 1.5ρ₀ we find small corrections from the derivative dˉ(k _f)/dm _π, which are stable against variations of the monopole regulator mass Λ.     

Neutron-proton mass difference in nuclear matter

Isospin-breaking effects in nuclear matter are studied in the framework of a medium-modified Skyrme model. The proposed effective Lagrangian incorporates both the medium influence of the surrounding nuclear environment on the single nucleon properties and an explicit isospin-breaking effect in the mesonic sector. The approach predicts that the neutron-proton mass difference decreases in isospin-symmetric nuclear matter but by a very small amount only.     

Instabilities in nuclear matter and finite nuclei

Spinodal instability in nuclear matter and finite nuclei is investigated. This instability occurs in the low-density region of the phase diagram. The thermodynamical and dynamical analysis is based on Landau theory of Fermi liquids. It is shown that asymmetric nuclear matter can be characterized by a unique spinodal region, defined by the instability against isoscalar-like fluctuation, as in symmetric nuclear matter. Everywhere in this density region the system is stable against isovector-like fluctuations related to the species separation tendency. Nevertheless, this instability in asymmetric nuclear matter induces isospin distillation leading to a more symmetric liquid phase and a more neutron-rich gas phase.     

Neutron-proton mass difference in isospin-asymmetric nuclear matter

Isospin-breaking effects in the baryonic sector are studied in the framework of a medium-modified Skyrme model. The neutron-proton mass difference in infinite, asymmetric nuclear matter is discussed. In order to describe the influence of the nuclear environment on the skyrmions, we include energy-dependent charged and neutral pion optical potentials in the s - and p -wave channels. The present approach predicts that the neutron-proton mass difference is mainly dictated by its strong part and that it strongly decreases in neutron matter.     

Analysis of (π K<Superscript>+</Superscript>) and (K<Superscript>-</Superscript>, K<Superscript>+</Superscript>) hypernuclear production spectra in distorted-wave impulse approximation

We study the hyperon-nucleus potential with distorted-wave impulse wave approximation (DWIA) using the Green's function method. In order to include the nucleon and hyperon potential effects in Fermi averaging, we introduce the local optimal momentum approximation of target nucleons. We can describe the quasi-free Λ , Σ and Ξ production spectra in a better way than in the standard Fermi-averaged t -matrix treatments.     

Necessity of extra repulsion in hypernuclear systems: Suggestion from neutron stars

Neutron star models with hyperon-mixed core are studied by a realistic approach to use the YN and the YY interactions consistent with hypernuclear data. From the compatibility of the theoretical maximum mass with the observed neutron star mass 1.44 M _⊙ of PSR1913+16, the necessity of some extra repulsion in hypernuclear systems, e.g., a repulsion from three-body force, is stressed. It is noted that the increase of baryon degrees of freedom to avoid the short-range repulsion effectively is an essential mechanism causing the Y-mixed phase. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Nucleon sigma term and quark condensate in nuclear matter

We study the bound-nucleon sigma term and the quark condensate in nuclear matter. In the quark-meson coupling (QMC) model the nuclear correction to the sigma term is small and negative, i.e., it decelerates the decrease of the quark condensate in nuclear matter. However, the quark condensate in nuclear matter is controlled primarily by the scalar-isoscalar σ field. Compared to the leading term, it moderates the decrease more than that of the nuclear sigma term alone at densities around and larger than the normal nuclear-matter density.     

Neutron stars in a Skyrme model with hyperons

Available Skyrme parametrizations with hyperons are examined from the point of view of their suitability for applications to neutron stars. It is shown that the hyperons can attenuate or even remove the problem of ferromagnetic instability common to (nearly) all Skyrme parametrizations of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. At high density the results are very sensitive to the choice of the interaction. The selected parameter sets are then used to obtain the resulting properties of both cold neutron stars and hot protoneutron stars. The general features known from other models are recovered.     

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     

Effective nucleon-nucleon interactions and nuclear matter equation of state

Nuclear matter equations of state based on Skyrme, Myers-Swiatecki and Tondeur interactions are written as polynomials of the cubic root of density, with coefficients that are functions of the relative neutron excess δ. In the extrapolation toward states far away from the standard one, it is shown that the asymmetry dependence of the critical point ( ,) depends on the model used. However, when the equations of state are fitted to the same standard state, the value of is almost the same in Skyrme and in Myers-Swiatecki interactions, while is much lower in Tondeur interaction. Furthermore, does not depend sensitively on the choice of the parameter γ in Skyrme interaction. Received: 5 May 2000 / Accepted: 16 January 2001     

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.     

Landau-Ginzburg treatment of nuclear matter at finite temperature

Based on recent studies of the temperature dependence of the energy and specific heat of liquid nuclear matter, a phase transition is suggested at a temperature ∼ 0.85 MeV. We apply the Landau-Ginzburg theory to this transition and determine the behaviour of the energy and specific heat close to the critical temperature in the condensed phase. Received: 29 July 2000 / Accepted: 20 October 2000     

The A(K-stop,Λd )A'' reaction, a tool to observe [ˉNNN] clusters

This work presents experimental results obtained from a study of the K ^- _stop A → ΛdA' reaction, where A = ⁶ Li . The study concerns the distributions of the Λd invariant mass, which allows us to determine the structure of bound [K ^- ppn] systems in nuclei. A candidate of such clusters is identified in the present measurement, and its mass (binding energy), decay width and yield are reported. The experiment was performed at the DAΦ NE φ -facility (LNF) by using the FINUDA spectrometer. The study depended on the capability of FINUDA to reconstruct the traces of all the particles involved in the decay of the nuclear cluster.