核物质对称能的高密行为研究

同位旋物理的主要任务之一是通过放射性核束引起的核反应来探索介质中有效核子-核子相互作用的同位旋依赖性,尤其是同位旋相关的核物质状态方程, 即密度依赖的核物质对称能。由于对称能,尤其是其高密行为,对核物理学和天体物理学具有重要意义,密度依赖的对称能在过去10年一直是中能重离子物理研究领域的主要焦点之一。近年来,低密对称能的研究已经取得了重要进展, 而对称能的高密行为仍然很不确定。在理论方面,人们提出了许多对高密对称能敏感的观测量。 实验方面, 关于对称能高密行为研究的实验计划已经展开,世界各地正在建造的放射性核束装置为对称能的高密行为研究提供了新的机遇。基于IBUU输运模型综述了研究对称能高密行为的一些敏感观测量及其最新进展, 以及所面临的挑战与机遇。One of the major tasks of studying isospin physics via heavy ion collisions with neutron rich nuclei, is to explore the isospin dependence of in medium nuclear effective interactions and the equation of state of neutron rich nuclear matter, i.e., the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy. Because of its great importance for understanding many phenomena in both nuclear physics and astrophysics, the study of the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy has been the main focus of the intermediate energy heavy ion physics community during the last decade. Nowadays significant progress has been achieved in studying the low density behavior of nuclear symmetry energy, but the high density behavior of nuclear symmetry energy is still very uncertain. Theoretically, a number of observables have been proposed as sensitive probes to the high density behavior of nuclear symmetry energy. With new opportunities provided by the various radioactive beam facilities being constructed around the world, studies of the high density behavior of nuclear symmetry energy is expected to be one of the main forefront research areas in nuclear physics in the near future. In this report, based on the transport model IBUU we have reviewed the major progress achieved in studying the high density behavior of nuclear symmetry energy and discussed future challenges in this field.     

Probing the high density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy with high energy heavy-ion collisions

High energy heavy-ion collisions are proposed as a novel means to constrain stringently the high density (HD) behavior of nuclear symmetry energy. Within an isospin-dependent hadronic transport model, it is shown for the first time that the isospin asymmetry of the HD nuclear matter formed in high energy heavy-ion collisions is uniquely determined by the HD behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy. Experimental signatures in two sensitive probes, i.e., pi(-) to pi(+) ratio and neutron-proton differential collective flow, are also investigated.     

Progress towards determining the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy using heavy-ion reactions

The latest development in determining the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy using heavy-ion collisions is reviewed. Within the IBUU04 version of an isospin- and momentum-dependent transport model using a modified Gogny effective interaction, recent experimental data from NSCL/MSU on isospin diffusion are found to be consistent with a nuclear symmetry energy of E _sym(ρ)≈31.6(ρ/ρ₀)^1.05 at subnormal densities. Predictions on several observables sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry energy at supranormal densities accessible at GSI and the planned Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) are also made.     

Probing the nuclear symmetry energy with heavy-ion reactions induced by neutron-rich nuclei

Heavy-ion reactions induced by neutron-rich nuclei provide a unique means to investigate the equation of state of isospin-asymmetric nuclear matter, especially the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy. In particular, recent analyses of the isospin diffusion data in heavy-ion reactions have already put a stringent constraint on the nuclear symmetry energy around the nuclear matter saturation density. We review this exciting result and discuss its implications on nuclear effective interactions and the neutron skin thickness of heavy nuclei. In addition, we also review the theoretical progress on probing the high density behaviors of the nuclear symmetry energy in heavy-ion reactions induced by high energy radioactive beams.      

INDRA 能区重离子输运过程的系统研究及对称能探测

基于改进的极端相对论量子分子动力学(UrQMD) 输运模型,通过细致考察初始化、状态方程及两体碰撞等系统研究了INDRA 能区重离子碰撞后出射的自由核子及轻粒子的集体流和核阻止本领等观测量。研究发现,一个采用带动量依赖的软的状态方程及动量修正的密度依赖的核子核子弹性散射截面的动力学输运过程能够很好描述INDRA 全能域内实验获得的中心快度区的氢同位素的直接流。利用该套输运系统还研究了直接流平衡能对对称势能密度依赖强度因子的敏感性。发现,出射的自由中子平衡能敏感依赖于对称势能的密度依赖,而自由质子却不会。同时还发现,利用两Sn 同位素系列反应出射的自由中子直接流的平衡能与初始中子/质子比的关系可以很好地探测对称能的密度依赖。The terms of initialization, equation of state (EoS), and two-body collision in the updated ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model are examined in details so as to systematically study the collective flows and the nuclear stopping of free nucleons and light clusters from heavy-ion collisions at INDRA energies. It is seen that at INDRA energies the dynamic transport with a soft EoS with momentum dependence and with the momentum-modified density-dependent nucleon-nucleon elastic cross sections describes the directed flow exhibited by hydrogen isotopes (Z= 1) emitted at midrapidity fairly well. The sensitivity of the balance energy (Ebal) of the directed flow to the strength parameter of the density dependence of symmetry potential energy is further studied with the same parameter set. It is found that the Ebal of neutrons from HICs is particularly sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry potential energy, while that of protons is not. And, the initial neutron/proton ratio dependence of the balance energy of neutrons from Sn isotopes can be taken as a useful probe to constrain the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy.     

Dependence of flow observables in heavy-ion collisions on the symmetry energy and the in-medium nucleon-nucleon interaction

We employ a QMD transport model to study the influence of the isospin dependent part of the nuclear matter equation of state on the dynamics of heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies. Parametrization of the in-medium dependence of the nucleon-nucleon elastic cross-sections, as predicted by microscopical models, are used. The sensitivity of flow observables to various parametrizations of the isospin dependent part of the equation of state (symmetry energy) is studied. The experimentally observed splitting of the elliptic flow values in Ru+Zr and Zr+Ru at incident energies of 400 MeV is shown to be due to, to an equal extent, density dependence of the microscopic nucleon-nucleon cross-section and symmetry energy.     

Determination of the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy from isospin diffusion

With an isospin- and momentum-dependent transport model, we find that the degree of isospin diffusion in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies is affected by both the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy and the momentum dependence of the nucleon potential. Using a momentum dependence derived from the Gogny effective interaction, recent experimental data from NSCL-MSU on isospin diffusion are shown to be consistent with a nuclear symmetry energy given by E(sym)(rho) approximately 31.6(rho/rho(0))(1.05) at subnormal densities. This leads to a significantly constrained value of about -550 MeV for the isospin-dependent part of the isobaric incompressibility of isospin asymmetric nuclear matter.     

Effects of isospin and momentum dependent interactions on liquid–gas phase transition in hot asymmetric nuclear matter

The liquid–gas phase transition in hot neutron-rich nuclear matter is investigated within a self-consistent thermal model using an isospin and momentum dependent interaction (MDI) constrained by the isospin diffusion data in heavy-ion collisions, a momentum-independent interaction (MID), and an isoscalar momentum-dependent interaction (eMDYI). The boundary of the phase-coexistence region is shown to be sensitive to the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy with a softer symmetry energy giving a higher critical pressure and a larger area of phase-coexistence region. Compared with the momentum-independent MID interaction, the isospin and momentum-dependent MDI interaction is found to increase the critical pressure and enlarge the area of phase-coexistence region. For the isoscalar momentum-dependent eMDYI interaction, a limiting pressure above which the liquid–gas phase transition cannot take place has been found and it is shown to be sensitive to the stiffness of the symmetry energy.     

Recent progress and new challenges in isospin physics with heavy-ion reactions

The ultimate goal of studying isospin physics via heavy-ion reactions with neutron-rich, stable and/or radioactive nuclei is to explore the isospin dependence of in-medium nuclear effective interactions and the equation of state of neutron-rich nuclear matter, particularly the isospin-dependent term in the equation of state, i.e., the density dependence of the symmetry energy. Because of its great importance for understanding many phenomena in both nuclear physics and astrophysics, the study of the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy has been the main focus of the intermediate-energy heavy-ion physics community during the last decade, and significant progress has been achieved both experimentally and theoretically. In particular, a number of phenomena or observables have been identified as sensitive probes to the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy. Experimental studies have confirmed some of these interesting isospin-dependent effects and allowed us to constrain relatively stringently the symmetry energy at sub-saturation densities. The impact of this constrained density dependence of the symmetry energy on the properties of neutron stars have also been studied, and they were found to be very useful for the astrophysical community. With new opportunities provided by the various radioactive beam facilities being constructed around the world, the study of isospin physics is expected to remain one of the forefront research areas in nuclear physics. In this report, we review the major progress achieved during the last decade in isospin physics with heavy ion reactions and discuss future challenges to the most important issues in this field.     

核物质和夸克物质的对称能（英文）

对称能表征了同位旋非对称强相互作用物质状态方程的同位旋相关部分,它对于理解核物理和天体物理中的许多问题有重要意义。简要总结了关于核物质和夸克物质对称能研究的最新进展。对于核物质对称能,通过对核结构,核反应以及中子星的研究,目前对其亚饱和密度的行为已有比较清楚的认识,同时,对饱和密度附近对称能的约束也取得了很好的研究进展。但如何确定核物质对称能的高密行为仍然是一个挑战。另一方面,在极端高重子数密度条件下,强相互作用物质将以退禁闭的夸克物质状态存在。同位旋非对称夸克物质可能存在于致密星内部,也可能产生于极端相对论重离子碰撞中。对最近关于夸克物质对称能对夸克星性质的影响以及重夸克星的存在对夸克物质对称能的约束的研究工作进行了介绍,结果表明同位旋非对称夸克物质中上夸克和下夸克可能感受到很不一样的相互作用,这对于研究极端相对论重离子碰撞中部分子动力学的同位旋效应有重要启发。The symmetry energy characterizes the isospin dependent part of the equation of state of isospin asymmetric strong interaction matter and it plays a critical role in many issues of nuclear physics and astrophysics. In this talk, we briefly review the current status on the determination of the symmetry energy in nucleon (nuclear) and quark matter. For nuclear matter, while the subsaturation density behaviors of the symmetry energy are relatively well-determined and significant progress has been made on the symmetry energy around saturation density, the determination of the suprasaturation density behaviors of the symmetry energy remains a big challenge. For quark matter, which is expected to appear in dense matter at high baryon densities, we briefly review the recent work about the effects of quark matter symmetry energy on the properties of quark stars and the constraint of possible existence of heavy quark stars on quark matter symmetry energy. The results indicate that the u and d quarks could feel very different interactions in isospin asymmetric quark matter, which may have important implications on the isospin effects of partonic dynamics in relativistic heavy-ion collisions.     

中能重离子碰撞中的同位旋效应

利用改进的量子分子动力学模型,研究了中心和擦边重离子反应中的同位旋效应.研究结果表明,在丰中子体系的中心和擦边反应中出射核子的N/Z都对对称势敏感,但对称势的密度依赖对中心和擦边反应的影响显示不同的特征.     

Impact of density-dependent symmetry energy and Coulomb interactions on the evolution of intermediate mass fragments

Within the framework of isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics (IQMD) model, we demonstrate the evolution of intermediate mass fragments in heavy-ion collisions. In this paper, we study the time evolution, impact parameter, and excitation energy dependence of IMF production for the different forms of density-dependent symmetry energy. The IMF production and charge distribution show a minor but considerable sensitivity towards various forms of density-dependent symmetry energy. The Coulomb interactions affect the IMF production significantly at peripheral collisions. The IMF production increases with the stiffness of symmetry energy.     

密度分布对原子核阻止同位旋效应的影响

利用同位旋相关的量子分子动力学（IQMD）模型,分析了中能重离子碰撞过程中相对论平均场和SkyrmeHartrere－Fork等核结构模型给出的核密度分布对原子核阻止的影响。研究表明,从费米能到的较大能量范围内,无论小质量体系还是大质量体系,原子核阻止对同位旋相关的核子－核子碰撞截面都非常灵敏,而不同模型给出的核密度分布对原子核阻止影响不大,说明原子核阻止作为提取同位旋相关核子－核子碰撞截面的灵敏探针是与原子核结构模型无关的。 Influence of densitydistributionwhichisgivenbyRMFandSkyrme－Hartrere－Fork etalnuclearstructuremodelonnuclearstoppinginheavy－ioncollisionsatintermediateenergiesarestudiedbyusingisospin－dependentquantummoleculardynamics(IQMD)model.ResearchshowsthatrangeformtheFermienergytothelargerenergyof 100 Mev/u, for bothsmallandlargemasssystem,nuclearstoppingisfoundtobestronglydependentonthenucleon－nucleoncrosssections,andweaklyondifferentdensitydistribution.ThisshowsthatnuclearstoppingcanbeusedasaprobetoextracttheinformationontheisospindependenceN－Ncrosssectionsandhasnorelationshipwithnuclearstructuremodels.     

Energy and centrality dependence of rapidity densities at RHIC energies

The energy and centrality dependence of the charged multiplicity per participant nucleon is shown to be able to differentiate between final state saturation and fixed scale perturbative QCD models of initial entropy production in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. The energy dependence is shown to test the nuclear enhancement of the minijet component of the initial conditions, while the centrality dependence provides a key test of whether gluon saturation is reached at RHIC energies. The HIJING model predicts that the rapidity density per participant increases with centrality, while the saturation model prediction is essentially independent of centrality.     

Modified dihadron fragmentation functions in hot and nuclear matter

Medium modification of dihadron fragmentation functions due to gluon bremsstrahlung induced by multiple partonic scattering is studied in both deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) off large nuclei and high-energy heavy-ion collisions within the same framework of twist expansion. The modification for dihadrons is found to closely follow that for single hadrons, leading to a weak nuclear suppression of their ratios in DIS experiments. A mild enhancement of the near-side correlation of two high transverse momentum hadrons with increasing centrality is found in heavy-ion collisions due to trigger bias and the rise in parton energy loss with centrality. Successful comparisons between theory and experiment for multihadron observables in both confining and deconfined media offer comprehensive evidence for partonic energy loss as the mechanism of jet modification in dense matter.     

基于中能重离子碰撞研究高密对称能

用于描述核物质中子质子单粒子能量之差的对称能,最近20年得到了核物理学界的广泛关注。在饱和核密度附近,对称能的数值及斜率基本得到约束,然而其高密行为至今仍具有很大的不确定性。当前,探测对称能的研究计划正在世界范围内能够提供放射性束流的实验室展开。伴随着对称能相关实验的规划、进行,发展更加先进的同位旋依赖的输运理论模型变得非常必要。我们将核子-核子短程关联及介质中同位旋依赖的重子-重子非弹性散射截面等研究的新进展融入到了同位旋依赖的输运模型里面;探索了新的敏感于高密对称能的可观测量,比如挤出核子的中质比、光子、轻碎片,以及包含奇异隐奇异夸克的介子产生等;提出了高密对称能探测盲点的问题并给出解决办法;对于常见的对称能敏感观测量的模型预言的不确定性进行了彻底细致的研究;提出采用定性观测量,比如高能出射粒子的中质比,将高密对称能进行定性约束;率先提出并研究了对称能敏感观测量的探测密度区间问题,指出对称能敏感观测量的探测密度往往小于核反应最大压缩密度;发现核子-核子短程关联明显削弱观测量的对称能效应;考虑到饱和点处对称能斜率的约束范围,基于输运模型,提出通过探测对称能的曲率来约束高密对称能。除了利用重离子碰撞约束高密对称能之外,人们也可以通过与中子星相关的大量天体观测来间接约束高密对称能。     

High-p T hadron-hadron correlations in vacuum and in matter

Two-particle correlations within a single jet produced in deeply inelastic scattering (DIS) off a large nucleus as well as in heavy-ion collisions are studied. This is performed within the framework of the medium modified dihadron fragmentation functions. The modification occurs due to gluon bremsstrahlung induced by multiple scattering. The modified fragmentation functions for dihadrons are found to follow closely that of single hadrons leading to a weak nuclear suppression of their ratios as measured by HERMES in DIS experiments. Meanwhile, a moderate medium enhancement of the near-side correlation of two high-p_T hadrons is found in central heavy-ion collisions, partially due to trigger bias caused by the competition between parton energy loss and the initial Cronin effect.     

Particle clustering and Mott transitions in nuclear matter at finite temperature: (I). Method and general aspects

The thermodynamic state of nuclear matter as regards dependence on density and temperature is considered. Expressions for the association degree are derived describing the ratio of nuclear matter which is clustered to bound states. The problem of two nucleons imbedded in the surrounding nuclear matter is considered with the help of the Bethe-Goldstone equation for thermodynamic Green functions. The two-particle energy shift due to the effective nuclear matter hamiltonian is considered in a Hartree-Fock approximation, and a Mott density is obtained so that for densities of nuclear matter higher than the Mott density bound states cannot exist. With a simplified effective two-nucleon interaction the association degree is calculated as a function of the nucleon density and the temperature.     

中能重离子碰撞中K介子产生动力学研究(英文)

基于兰州量子分子动力学(LQMD)模型研究了阈能附近K介子(K0和K+)产生动力学机制。LQMD模型能够较好地描述中能重离子碰撞中K介子产额分布。通过拟合K介子动能谱分布,计算中采用了排斥的K-核子相互作用势。该光学势增强了高动量K介子产生,而降低了K介子总产额。结合实验数据比较,在高密区域给出了较软的对称核物质状态方程。对称能的软硬对K0/K+比值起着重要作用,特别是在阈下区域。而K介子光学势对K0/K+比值激发函数影响不明显。