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.     

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     

Optimized δ expansion for relativistic nuclear models

The optimized δ-expansion is a nonperturbative approach for field theoretic models which combines the techniques of perturbation theory and the variational principle. This technique is discussed in the λφ⁴ model and then implemented in the Walecka model for the equation of state of nuclear matter. The results obtained with the δ expansion are compared with those obtained with the traditional mean field, relativistic Hartree and Hartree-Fock approximations. Received: 17 March 1997 / Revised version: 27 August 1997     

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     

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     

Hypernuclei and nuclear matter in a chiral SU(3) RMF model

We develop a chiral SU(3) RMF model for octet baryons, as an extension of the recently developed chiral SU(2) RMF model with logarithmic sigma potential. For Σ -meson coupling, strong repulsion (SR) and weak repulsion (WR) cases are examined in existing atomic shift data of Σ^- . In both of these cases, we need an attractive pocket of a few MeV depth around nuclear surface.     

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     

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.     

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     

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     

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     

Single-spin asymmetry parameter from deeply virtual Compton scattering of hadrons up to twist-3 accuracy

The study of deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) has shown that electromagnetic gauge invariance requires, to leading order, not only twist-two but additional twist-three contributions. We apply this analysis and, using the Ellis-Furmanski-Petronzio factorization scheme, compute the single- (electron) spin asymmetry arising in the collision of longitudinally polarized electrons with hadrons up to twist-3 accuracy. In order to simplify the kinematics we restrict the actual calculation to pions in the chiral limit. The process is described in terms of the generalized parton distribution functions which we obtain within a bag model framework. Received: 7 November 2001 / Accepted: 25 February 2002     

Stability and instability of a hot and dilute nuclear droplet

The diabatic approach to dissipative collective nuclear motion is reformulated in the local-density approximation in order to treat the normal modes of a spherical nuclear droplet analytically. In a first application the adiabatic isoscalar modes are studied and results for the eigenvalues of compressional (bulk) and pure surface modes are presented as function of density and temperature inside the droplet, as well as for different mass numbers and for soft and stiff equations of state. We find that the region of bulk instabilities (spinodal regime) is substantially smaller for nuclear droplets than for infinite nuclear matter. For small densities below 30% of normal nuclear matter density and for temperatures below 5 MeV all relevant bulk modes become unstable with similar growth rates. The surface modes have a larger spinodal region, reaching out to densities and temperatures way beyond the spinodal line for bulk instabilities. Essential experimental features of multifragmentation, like fragmentation temperatures and fragment-mass distributions (in particular the power-law behavior) are consistent with the instability properties of an expanding nuclear droplet, and hence with a dynamical fragmentation process within the spinodal regime of bulk and surface modes (spinodal decomposition). Received: 4 September 2000 / Accepted: 14 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     

A Hartree-Fock nuclear mass formula

We recall the main features of the recently published mass formula, HFBCS-1, based on the Hartree-Fock-BCS method, and compare its extrapolations out to the neutron drip line with those given by the fine-range droplet model. A new Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov mass formula, HFB-1, is described: the rms error of the fit to 1888 masses is 0.766 MeV, compared with 0 .738 MeV for HFBCS-1, but there are no substantial changes in the predictions relevant to the r-process. After a critical examination of various questions relating to the effective nucleon mass and to the requirements of the relativistic mean-field theory, we conclude that the greatest remaining ambiguity concerns the nature of the pairing force. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: pearson@lps.umontreal.ca     

Microscopic three-body force for asymmetric nuclear matter

Brueckner calculations including a microscopic three-body force have been extended to isospin-asymmetric nuclear matter. The effects of the three-body force on the equation of state and on the single-particle properties of nuclear matter are discussed with a view to possible applications in nuclear physics and astrophysics. It is shown that, even in the presence of the three-body force, the empirical parabolic law of the energy per nucleon vs. isospin asymmetry β = (N - Z)/A is fulfilled in the whole asymmetry range 0≤β≤1 up to high densities. The three-body force provides a strong enhancement of the symmetry energy which increases with density in good agreement with the predictions of relativistic approaches. The Lane's assumption that proton and neutron mean fields linearly vary vs. the isospin parameter is violated at high density due to the three-body force, while the momentum dependence of the mean fields turns out to be only weakly affected. Consequently, a linear isospin split of the neutron and proton effective masses is found for both cases with and without the three-body force. The isospin effects on multifragmentation events and collective flows in heavy-ion collisions are briefly discussed along with the conditions for direct URCA processes to occur in the neutron star cooling. Received: 18 February 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002     

Nuclear temperature measurements with the double isotope ratio technique: Influence of the experimental conditions

The dependence of the nuclear temperatures of highly excited systems, extracted by means of the double ratios of the emitted isotopes, on the experimental conditions is investigated. Experimental data obtained in the Xe+Cu 30 MeV/nucleon reaction are used to study the sensitivity of the method and the effects of the energy thresholds on the obtained temperature values. We find that the temperatures extracted using the He/Li ratios can be strongly influenced by the experimental energy thresholds which are different for different elements. These distortions depend on the velocity of the emitting system and on the detection angle and therefore particular care is needed in the choice of the detectors in those experiments in which velocities are low and angles are large. The use of four isotopes of the same element make negligible such effects. Received: 6 October 1999 / Accepted: 28 May 2000     

The process p¯↦γπwithin the handbag approach

We analyse the exclusive channel pˉ↦γπ⁰, assuming handbag dominance. The soft parts are parametrized in terms of CGLN amplitudes for the qˉ↦γπ⁰ transition and form factors for the pˉ↦qˉ ones; the latter represent moments of Generalized Distribution Amplitudes. We present a combined fit to Fermilab data from E760 taking simultaneously into account information from other exclusive reactions, especially from pˉ↦γγ data. Overall a nicely consistent picture emerges, such that one can hope, that our theoretical analysis will be reliable also for the kinematics of GSI/FAIR, which, hopefully, will provide much more precise and complete data. Consequently, data from this facility should improve our knowledge both on the proton-antiproton distribution amplitudes and the pion production mechanism.     

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.