The saturation properties of neutron-rich matter are investigated in a relativistic mean-field formalism using two accurately calibrated models: NL3 and FSUGold. The saturation properties - density, binding energy per nucleon, and incompressibility coefficient - are calculated as a function of the neutron-proton asymmetry alpha=(N-Z)/A to all orders in alpha. Good agreement (at the 10% level or better) is found between these numerical calculations and analytic expansions that are given in terms of a handful of bulk parameters determined at saturation density. Using insights developed from the analytic approach and a general expression for the incompressibility coefficient of infinite neutron-rich matter, i.e., K0(alpha)=K0+Ktau*alpha^{2}+..., we construct a Hybrid model with values for K0 and Ktau as suggested by recent experimental findings. Whereas the Hybrid model provides a better description of the measured distribution of isoscalar monopole strength in the Sn-isotopes relative to both NL3 and FSUGold, it significantly underestimates the distribution of strength in 208Pb. Thus, we conclude that the incompressibility coefficient of neutron-rich matter remains an important open problem.
The ``breathing mode'' of neutron-rich nuclei is our window into the incompressibility of neutron-rich matter. After much confusion on the interpretation of the experimental data, consistency was finally reached between different models that predicted both the distribution of isoscalar monopole strength in finite nuclei and the compression modulus of infinite matter. However, a very recent experiment on the Tin isotopes at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics(RCNP) in Japan has again muddled the waters. Self-consistent models that were successful in reproducing the energy of the giant monop…
Using 250 neutron star merger simulations with microphysics, we explore for the first time the role of nuclear incompressibility in the prompt collapse threshold for binaries with different mass ratios. We demonstrate that observations of prompt collapse thresholds, either from binaries with two different mass ratios or with one mass ratio but combined with the knowledge of the maximum neutron star mass or compactness, will constrain the incompressibility at the maximum neutron star density, $K_{\rm max}$, to within tens of percent. This, otherwise inaccessible, measure of $K_{\rm max}$ can po…
We trace a systematic and consistent method to precisely numerate the magnitude range for various structural and isospin compositional properties of the neutron star. Incompressibility, symmetry energy, slope parameter and curvature of a neutron star are investigated using the relativistic energy density functional within the framework of coherent density fluctuation model. The analytical expression for the energy density functional of the neutron star matter is motivated from the Br$\ddot{u}$ckner functional and acquired by the polynomial fitting of the saturation curves for three different r…
Within a Bayesian statistical framework using the standard Skyrme-Hartree-Fock model, the maximum {\it a posteriori} (MAP) values and uncertainties of nuclear matter incompressibility and isovector interaction parameters are inferred from the experimental data of giant resonances and neutron-skin thicknesses of typical heavy nuclei. With the uncertainties of the isovector interaction parameters constrained by the data of the isovector giant dipole resonance and the neutron-skin thickness, we have obtained $K_0 = 223_{-8}^{+7}$ MeV at 68% confidence level using the data of the isoscalar giant m…
We examine the correlations of neutron star radii with the nuclear matter incompressibility, symmetry energy, and their slopes, which are the key parameters of the equation of state (EoS) of asymmetric nuclear matter. The neutron star radii and the EoS parameters are evaluated using a representative set of 24 Skyrme-type effective forces and 18 relativistic mean field models, and two microscopic calculations, all describing 2$M_\odot$ neutron stars. Unified EoSs for the inner-crust-core region have been built for all the phenomenological models, both relativistic and non-relativistic. Our inve…
Both the incompressibility \Ka of a finite nucleus of mass A and that ($K_{\infty}$) of infinite nuclear matter are fundamentally important for many critical issues in nuclear physics and astrophysics. While some consensus has been reached about the $K_{\infty}$, accurate theoretical predictions and experimental extractions of $K_τ$ characterizing the isospin dependence of \Ka have been very difficult. We propose a differential approach to extract the \Kt and \Ki independently from the \Ka data of any two nuclei in a given isotope chain. Applying this new method to the \Ka data from isoscalar …
The incompressibility of both nuclear matter and finite nuclei is estimated by the monopole compression modes in nuclei in the framework of a nonrelativistic Hartree-Fock-Bogoliyubov method and the coherent density fluctuation model. The monopole states originate from vibrations of the nuclear density. The calculations in the model for the incompressibility in finite nuclei are based on the Brueckner energy-density functional for nuclear matter. Results for the energies of the breathing vibrational states and finite nuclei incompressibilities are obtained for various nuclei and their values ar…
An equation of state (EoS) for symmetric nuclear matter is constructed using the density dependent M3Y effective interaction and extended for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter. Theoretically obtained values of symmetric nuclear matter incompressibility, isobaric incompressibility, symmetry energy and its slope agree well with experimentally extracted values. Folded microscopic potentials using this effective interaction, whose density dependence is determined from nuclear matter calculations, provide excellent descriptions for proton, alpha and cluster radioactivities, elastic and inelastic sc…
The density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy is determined from a systematic study of the isospin dependent bulk properties of asymmetric nuclear matter using the isoscalar and the isovector components of density dependent M3Y interaction. The incompressibility $K_\infty$ for the symmetric nuclear matter, the isospin dependent part $K_{asy}$ of the isobaric incompressibility and the slope $L$ are all in excellent agreement with the constraints recently extracted from measured isotopic dependence of the giant monopole resonances in even-A Sn isotopes, from the neutron skin thickness of nuc…
We review the impact of nuclear forces on matter at neutron-rich extremes. Recent results have shown that neutron-rich nuclei become increasingly sensitive to three-nucleon forces, which are at the forefront of theoretical developments based on effective field theories of quantum chromodynamics. This includes the formation of shell structure, the spectroscopy of exotic nuclei, and the location of the neutron dripline. Nuclear forces also constrain the properties of neutron-rich matter, including the neutron skin, the symmetry energy, and the structure of neutron stars. We first review our unde…
A new method is proposed to deduce the neutron radii of neutron-rich nuclei. This method requires measuring the reaction cross sections of both the neutron-rich nucleus and its stable isotope at the same energy on a proton target. Using this method and the available experimental data of $^{12,22}$C + $p$ and $^{9,14}$Be + $p$ at 40$A$ MeV, the neutron radii of $^{22}$C and $^{14}$Be have been deduced for the first time.
Low-mass neutron stars are directly associated with the nuclear saturation parameters because their central density is definitely low. We have already found a suitable combination of nuclear saturation parameters for expressing the neutron star mass and gravitational redshift, i.e., $η\equiv (K_0L^2)^{1/3}$ with the incompressibility for symmetric nuclear matter, $K_0$, and the density-dependent nuclear symmetry energy, $L$. In this study, we newly find another suitable combination given by $η_τ\equiv (-K_τL^5)^{1/6}$ with the isospin dependence of incompressibility for asymmetric nuclear matt…
The di-neutron correlation is a spatial correlation with which two valence neutrons are located at a similar position inside a nucleus. We discuss possible experimental probes for the di-neutron correlation. This includes the Coulomb breakup and the pair transfer reactions of neutron-rich nuclei, and the direct two-neutron decays of nuclei beyond the neutron drip-line.
We obtained a density-dependent analytical expression of binding energy per nucleon for different neutron-proton asymmetry of the nuclear matter (NM) with a polynomial fitting, which manifests the results of effective field theory motivated relativistic mean-field (E-RMF) model. This expression has the edge over the Br$\ddot{u}$ckner energy density functional [Phys. Rev. {\bf 171}, 1188 (1968)] since it resolves the Coster-Band problem. The NM parameters like incompressibility, neutron pressure, symmetry energy, and its derivatives are calculated using the acquired expression of energy per nuc…
A method is proposed to determine the one-neutron $S_n$ or two-neutron $S_{2n}$ separation energy of neutron-rich isotopes. Relationships between $S_n$ ($S_{2n}$) and isotopic cross sections have been deduced from an empirical formula, i.e., the cross section of an isotope exponentially depends on the average binding energy per nucleon $B/A$. The proposed relationships have been verified using the neutron-rich copper isotopes measured in the 64$A$ MeV $^{86}$Kr + $^{9}$Be reaction. $S_n$, $S_{2n}$, and $B/A$ for the very neutron-rich $^{77, 78, 79}$Cu isotopes are determined from the proposed …
We general relativistically calculate the frequency of fundamental torsional oscillations of neutron star crusts, where we focus on the crystalline properties obtained from macroscopic nuclear models in a way depending on the equation of state of nuclear matter. We find that the calculated frequency is sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry energy, but almost independent of the incompressibility of symmetric nuclear matter. By identifying the lowest-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation in giant flares observed from soft gamma-ray repeaters as the fundamental torsional mode and all…
The neutron-skin thickness of asymmetric semi-infinite nuclear matter is shown to be a function of Coulomb energy, the asymmetry-energy coefficient($J$), the slope($L$) of the asymmetry energy, and the incompressibility coefficient, in addition to he Fermi momentum and the asymmetry parameter. The relational formula is derived on the basis of the Hugenholtz-Van Hove theorem in the mean-field approximation for nuclear matter. Using the formula as a guide, the neutron-skin thickness($δR$) in $^{208}$Pb is examined. The linear correlation between $L$ and $δR$ appears as a kind of spurious ones th…
Around the nuclear Fermi momentum, there is a transition of nucleon momentum distribution n(k) in nuclear matter, i.e., from a constant to the $1/k^{4}$ nucleon momentum distribution. While nowadays the transition momentum of minority in asymmetric matter is rarely studied and thus undetermined. In the framework of the IBUU transport model, proton transition momentum in nuclei is first studied. It is found that the transition momentum of proton is sensitive to the $π^{-}/π^{+}$ ratio as well as the energetic photon production in neutron-rich nuclear reaction. This result may push the study of …
Insights into the equation of state of neutron rich matter obtained from the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb are in sharp conflict with earlier measurements of the electric dipole polarizability. We use a set of accurately calibrated energy density functionals to highlight the tension and to articulate how plans for a highly-intense Gamma Factory may alleviate the tension.
The production cross section of neutron-rich isotopes of Ca, Zn, Te, Xe, and Pt are predicted in the diffusive multi-nucleon transfer reactions with stable and radioactive beams. With these isotopes one can treat the neutron shell evolution beyond N = 28, 50, 82, and 126. Because of the small cross sections, the production of nuclei near the neutron drip line requires the optimal choice of reaction partners and bombarding energies.
[Background] In our earlier work {\bf [Phys. Rev. C 104, 055804 (2021)]}, we studied the surface properties of a neutron star, assuming it as a huge finite nucleus containing protons, neutrons, electrons, and muons. For the first time, we reported these results of a neutron star for a few representative masses. In the present paper, we give a detailed study of these quantities to draw definite conclusions. [Method]To carry forward our earlier idea, the energy density functional of the momentum space of neutron star matter is converted to the coordinate space in a local density approximation. T…
Interference effect of neutron capture cross section between the compound and direct processes is investigated. The compound process is calculated by resonance parameters and the direct process by the potential mode. The interference effect is tested for neutron-rich $^{82}$Ge and $^{134}$Sn nuclei relevant to $r$-process and light nucleus $^{13}$C which is neutron poison in the $s$-process and produces long-lived radioactive nucleus $^{14}$C ($T_{1/2}=5700$ y). The interference effects in those nuclei are significant around resonances, and low energy region if $s$-wave neutron direct capture …
The isobaric yield ratio difference (IBD) between two reactions of similar experimental setups is found to be sensitive to nuclear density differences between projectiles. In this article, the IBD probe is used to study the density variation in neutron-rich $^{48}$Ca. By adjusting diffuseness in the neutron density distribution, three different neutron density distributions of $^{48}$Ca are obtained. The yields of fragments in the 80$A$ MeV $^{40, 48}$Ca + $^{12}$C reactions are calculated by using a modified statistical abrasion-ablation model. It is found that the IBD results obtained from t…
Based on time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory, a new inverse quasifission mechanism is proposed to produce neutron-rich transfermium nuclei, in collision of prolate deformed actinides. Calculations show that collision of the tip of one nucleus with the side of the other results in a nucleon flux toward the latter. The role of nucleon evaporation and impact parameter, as well as the collision time are discussed.
From the experimental data on odd-even staggering of masses, we have shown that variation of pairing as a function of neutron number plays an important role in many distinctive features like occurrence of new shell closures, shell erosion, anomalous reduction of the energy of the first 2+ state and slower increase in the B(E2, 2_{+}^{1} \rightarrow 0_{+}^{1}) in the neutron-rich even-even nuclei in different mass regions. New predictions have been made in a model independent way. Results of theoretical calculations support the phenomenological findings.
Direct hard photon emissions from incoherent proton-neutron bremsstrahlung in collisions of the neutron-rich projectile $^{50}$Ca with $^{12}$C and $^{40}$Ca targets are simulated in the framework of the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics (IQMD) model. By adjusting the diffuseness parameter of neutron density in the droplet model to obtain different neutron skin thicknesses for $^{50}$Ca, the effects of neutron skin thickness on direct hard photon emission are investigated via several probes. The results show that more direct hard photons are produced with increasing neutron skin thi…
Neutron-rich nuclei and neutron skins from chiral low-resolution interactions
Université Paris-Saclay（巴黎萨克雷大学）；CNRS/IN2P3, IJCLab（法国国家科学研究中心/欧洲核子研究组织，IJCLab）；Helmholtz Forschungsakademie Hessen für FAIR (HFHF)（黑森州亥姆霍兹FAIR研究院）；GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH（德国重离子研究中心）；ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI（极端物质研究所）；Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik（马克斯·普朗克核物理研究所）；Technische Universität Darmstadt（达姆施塔特工业大学）
We study excited-state properties of neutron-rich calcium isotopes based on chiral two- and three-nucleon interactions. We first discuss the details of our many-body framework, investigate convergence properties, and for two-nucleon interactions benchmark against coupled-cluster calculations. We then focus on the spectroscopy of 47-56Ca, finding that with both 3N forces and an extended pfg9/2 valence space, we obtain a good level of agreement with experiment. We also study electromagnetic transitions and find that experimental data are well described by our calculations. In addition, we provid…
We propose a novel method for producing very-neutron-rich hypernuclei and corresponding resonance states by employing charge-exchange reactions via pp($^{12}$C, $^{12}$N $K^+$)n$Λ$ with single-charge-exchange and ppp($^{9}$Be, $^{9}$C $K^+$)nn$Λ$ with double-charge-exchange, both of which produce $ΛK^+$ in a target nucleus. The feasibility of producing very-neutron-rich hypernuclei using the proposed method was analysed by applying an ultra-relativistic quantum molecular dynamics model to a $^6$Li+$^{12}$C reaction at 2 $A$ GeV. The yields of very-neutron-rich hypernuclei, signal-to-background…
We study the dark matter effects on the nuclear matter parameters characterising the equation of states of super dense neutron-rich nucleonic-matter. The observables of the nuclear matter, i.e. incompressibility, symmetry energy and its higher-order derivatives in the presence dark matter for symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter are analysed with the help of an extended relativistic mean-field model. The calculations are also extended to beta-stable matter to explore the properties of the neutron star. We analyse the dark matter effects on symmetric nuclear matter, pure neutron matter and n…
The isoscalar monopole response of neutron-rich nuclei is sensitive to both the incompressibility coefficient of symmetric nuclear matter and the density dependence of the symmetry energy. The main goal of this paper is to explore the emergence, evolution, and origin of low energy monopole strength along the even-even calcium isotopes: from 40Ca to 60Ca. The distribution of isoscalar monopole strength is computed in a relativistic random phase approximation (RPA) using three effective interactions that have been calibrated to the properties of finite nuclei and neutron stars. A non-spectral ap…
We study the relation between neutron removal cross section ($σ_{-N}$) and neutron skin thickness for finite neutron rich nuclei using the statistical abrasion ablation (SAA) model. Different sizes of neutron skin are obtained by adjusting the diffuseness parameter of neutrons in the Fermi distribution. It is demonstrated that there is a good linear correlation between $σ_{-N}$ and the neutron skin thickness for neutron rich nuclei. Further analysis suggests that the relative increase of neutron removal cross section could be used as a quantitative measure for the neutron skin thickness in neu…
Background: Multi-nucleon transfer reactions have recently attracted attention as a possible path to the synthesis of new neutron-rich heavy nuclei. Purpose: We study transfer reactions involving massive nuclei with the intention of understanding if the semi-classical model GRAZING coupled to an evaporation and fission competition model can satisfactory reproduce experimental data on transfer reactions in which fission plays a role. Methods: We have taken the computer code GRAZING and have added fission competition to it (GRAZING-F) using our current understanding of $Γ_n/Γ_f$, fission barrier…
The single particle and bulk properties of the neutron-rich nuclei constrain fundamental issues in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics like the limits of existence of quantum many body systems (atomic nuclei), the equation of state of neutron-rich matter, neutron star, nucleosynthesis, evolution of stars, neutron star merging etc.. The state of the art of Coulomb breakup of the neutron-rich nuclei has been used to explore those properties. Unambiguous information on detailed components of the ground-state wave-function along with quantum numbers of the valence neutron of the nuclei have b…
We present precision Penning-trap mass measurements of neutron-rich calcium and potassium isotopes in the vicinity of neutron number N=32. Using the TITAN system the mass of $^{51}$K was measured for the first time, and the precision of the $^{51,52}$Ca mass values were improved significantly. The new mass values show a dramatic increase of the binding energy compared to those reported in the atomic mass evaluation. In particular, $^{52}$Ca is more bound by 1.74 MeV, and the behavior with neutron number deviates substantially from the tabulated values. An increased binding was predicted recent…
A recently proposed density-dependent van der Waals model, with only $4$ free parameters adjusted to fix binding energy, saturation density, symmetry energy, and incompressibility, is analyzed under symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter constraints. In a previous paper, it was shown that this model is fully consistent with the constraints related to the binary neutron star merger event named GW170817 and reported by the LIGO and Virgo collaboration. Here, we show that it also describes satisfactorily the low and high-density regions of symmetric nuclear matter, with all the main constraints …
In dense neutron matter under the presence of a strong magnetic field, considered in the model with the Skyrme effective interaction, there are possible two types of spin ordered states. In one of them the majority of neutron spins are aligned opposite to magnetic field (thermodynamically preferable state), and in other one the majority of spins are aligned along the field (metastable state). The equation of state, incompressibility modulus and velocity of sound are determined in each case with the aim to find the peculiarities allowing to distinguish between two spin ordered phases.
Despite a length-scale difference of 18 orders of magnitude, the internal structure of neutron stars and the spatial distribution of neutrons in atomic nuclei are profoundly connected.
We report here an empirical formalism for predicting the cross-sections of neutron-rich nuclei produced in fragmentation of relativistic \b{eta}-unstable neutron-rich projectiles in the mid-mass region. The formalism is based on the abrasion-ablation picture of the projectile fragmentation reaction. It has been shown that the formalism can accurately reproduce the experimental cross-section data for nuclei produced in the fragmentation of 132Sn. The formalism, it is shown, can also reproduce the experimental cross-sections of neutron-rich nuclei produced in the fragmentation of 129Xe fairly ac…
We make use of isospin constraints to study the parametric coupling model and the properties of asymmetric nuclear matter. Besides the usual constraints for nuclear matter - effective nucleon mass and the incompressibility at saturation density - and the neutron star constraints - maximum mass and radius - we have studied the properties related with the symmetry energy. These properties have constrained to a small range the parameters of the model. We have applied our results to study the thermodynamic instabilities in the liquid-gas phase transition as well as the neutron star configurations.
Laboratory experiments sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry energy may place stringent constraints on the equation of state of neutron-rich matter and, thus, on the structure, dynamics, and composition of neutron stars. Understanding the equation of state of neutron-rich matter is a central goal of nuclear physics that cuts across a variety of disciplines. In this contribution I focus on how laboratory experiments on neutron skins and on both Pygmy and Giant resonances can help us elucidate the structure of neutron stars.
The historical detection of gravitational waves emitted from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 has opened the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. Since then, many other significant discoveries -- both on heaven and earth -- are providing new clues into the behavior of neutron-rich matter. It is the goal of this article to illustrate how the remarkable progress made during the last few years is spearheading the field into the golden age of neutron-star physics.
