Pairing with polarization effects in low-density neutron matter

We study the properties of the 1S0 pairing gap in low-density neutron matter. Different corrections to the lowest-order scattering length approximation are explored, resulting in a strong suppression with respect to the BCS result.

Spin polarized neutron matter and magnetic susceptibility within the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approximation

The Brueckner-Hartree-Fock formalism is applied to study spin polarized neutron matter properties. Results of the total energy per particle as a function of the spin polarization and density are presented for two modern realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions, Nijmegen II and Reid93. We find that the dependence of the energy on the spin polarization is practically parabolic in the full range of polarizations. The magnetic susceptibility of the system is computed. Our results show no indication of a ferromagnetic transition which becomes even more difficult as the density increases.

Isospin-rich nuclei in neutron star matter

Stability of nuclei beyond the drip lines in the presence of an enveloping gas of nucleons and electrons, as prevailing in the inner crust of a neutron star, is studied in the temperature-dependent Thomas-Fermi framework. A limiting asymmetry in the isospin space beyond which nuclei cannot exist emerges from the calculations. The ambient conditions such as temperature, baryon density, and neutrino concentration under which these exotic nuclear systems can be formed are studied in some detail.

Atomic parity nonconservation, neutron radii, and effective field theories of nuclei

Accurately calibrated effective field theories are used to compute atomic parity nonconserving (APNC) observables. Although accurately calibrated, these effective field theories predict a large spread in the neutron skin of heavy nuclei. Whereas the neutron skin is strongly correlated to numerous physical observables, in this contribution we focus on its impact on new physics through APNC observables. The addition of an isoscalar-isovector coupling constant to the effective Lagrangian generates a wide range of values for the neutron skin of heavy nuclei without compromising the success of the model in reproducing well-constrained nuclear observables. Earlier studies have suggested that the use of isotopic ratios of APNC observables may eliminate their sensitivity to atomic structure. This leaves nuclear structure uncertainties as the main impediment for identifying physics beyond the standard model. We establish that uncertainties in the neutron skin of heavy nuclei are at present too large to measure isotopic ratios to better than the 0.1% accuracy required to test the standard model. However, we argue that such uncertainties will be significantly reduced by the upcoming measurement of the neutron radius in 208^Pb at the Jefferson Laboratory.

Ferromagnetic instabilities in neutron matter at finite temperature with the Skyrme interaction

The properties of spin-polarized neutron matter are studied at both zero and finite temperature using Skyrme-type interactions. It is shown that the critical density at which ferromagnetism takes place decreases with temperature. This unexpected behavior is associated to an anomalous behavior of the entropy that becomes larger for the polarized phase than for the unpolarized one above a certain critical density. This fact is a consequence of the dependence of the entropy on the effective mass of the neutrons with different third spin component. A new constraint on the parameters of the effective Skyrme force is derived if this behavior is to be avoided.

Maximum mass of neutron stars

We determine the structure of neutron stars within a Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach based on realistic nucleon-nucleon, nucleon-hyperon, and hyperon-hyperon interactions. Our results indicate rather low maximum masses below 1.4 solar masses. This feature is insensitive to the nucleonic part of the EOS due to a strong compensation mechanism caused by the appearance of hyperons and represents thus strong evidence for the presence of nonbaryonic "quark" matter in the interior of heavy stars.

Two nucleon induced Lambda decay and the proton to neutron induced ratio

We reanalyze the decay mode of Lambda hypernuclei induced by two nucleons modifying previous numerical results and the interpretation of the process. The repercussions of this channel in the ratio of neutron to proton induced Lambda decay is studied in detail in connection with the present experimental data. This leads to ratios that are in greater contradiction with usual one pion exchange models than those deduced before.

Dual-Regge approach to high-energy, low-mass diffraction dissociation

A dual-Regge model with a nonlinear proton Regge trajectory in the missing mass (MX2) channel, describing the experimental data on low-mass single diffraction dissociation (SDD), is constructed. Predictions for the LHC energies are given.

Origin of the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb in nuclear mean-field models

We study whether the neutron skin thickness Δrnp of 208Pb originates from the bulk or from the surface of the nucleon density distributions, according to the mean-field models of nuclear structure, and find that it depends on the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy. The bulk contribution to Δrnp arises from an extended sharp radius of neutrons, whereas the surface contribution arises from different widths of the neutron and proton surfaces. Nuclear models where the symmetry energy is stiff, as typical of relativistic models, predict a bulk contribution in Δrnp of 208Pb about twice as large as the surface contribution. In contrast, models with a soft symmetry energy like common nonrelativistic models predict that Δrnp of 208Pb is divided similarly into bulk and surface parts. Indeed, if the symmetry energy is supersoft, the surface contribution becomes dominant. We note that the linear correlation of Δrnp of 208Pb with the density derivative of the nuclear symmetry energy arises from the bulk part of Δrnp. We also note that most models predict a mixed-type (between halo and skin) neutron distribution for 208Pb. Although the halo-type limit is actually found in the models with a supersoft symmetry energy, the skin-type limit is not supported by any mean-field model. Finally, we compute parity-violating electron scattering in the conditions of the 208Pb parity radius experiment (PREX) and obtain a pocket formula for the parity-violating asymmetry in terms of the parameters that characterize the shape of the 208Pb nucleon densities.

The influence of the symmetry energy on the giant monopole resonance of neutron-rich nuclei analyzed in Thomas-Fermi theory

We analyze the influence of the density dependence of the symmetry energy on the average excitation energy of the isoscalar giant monopole resonance (GMR) in stable and exotic neutron-rich nuclei by applying the relativistic extended Thomas-Fermi method in scaling and constrained calculations. For the effective nuclear interaction, we employ the relativistic mean field model supplemented by an isoscalar-isovector meson coupling that allows one to modify the density dependence of the symmetry energy without compromising the success of the model for binding energies and charge radii. The semiclassical estimates of the average energy of the GMR are known to be in good agreement with the results obtained in full RPA calculations. The present analysis is performed along the Pb and Zr isotopic chains. In the scaling calculations, the excitation energy is larger when the symmetry energy is softer. The same happens in the constrained calculations for nuclei with small and moderate neutron excess. However, for nuclei of large isospin the constrained excitation energy becomes smaller in models having a soft symmetry energy. This effect is mainly due to the presence of loosely-bound outer neutrons in these isotopes. A sharp increase of the estimated width of the resonance is found in largely neutron-rich isotopes, even for heavy nuclei, which is enhanced when the symmetry energy of the model is soft. The results indicate that at large neutron numbers the structure of the low-energy region of the GMR strength distribution changes considerably with the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy, which may be worthy of further characterization in RPA calculations of the response function.

Diffraction theory of Fresnel lenses encoded in low-resolution devices

A mathematical model that describes the behavior of low-resolution Fresnel lenses encoded in any low-resolution device (e.g., a spatial light modulator) is developed. The effects of low-resolution codification, such the appearance of new secondary lenses, are studied for a general case. General expressions for the phase of these lenses are developed, showing that each lens behaves as if it were encoded through all pixels of the low-resolution device. Simple expressions for the light distribution in the focal plane and its dependence on the encoded focal length are developed and commented on in detail. For a given codification device an optimum focal length is found for best lens performance. An optimization method for codification of a single lens with a short focal length is proposed.

Diffraction theory of optimized low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses

A mathematical model describing the behavior of low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses (LRFEL's) encoded in any low-resolution device (e.g., a spatial light modulator) has recently been developed. From this model, an LRFEL with a short focal length was optimized by our imposing the maximum intensity of light onto the optical axis. With this model, analytical expressions for the light-amplitude distribution, the diffraction efficiency, and the frequency response of the optimized LRFEL's are derived.

Comment on "Neutron brillouin scattering study of collective dynamics in a dense He-Ne gaseous mixture"

A Comment on the Letter by Ubaldo Bafile, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 1019 (2001). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.

Cation distribution and magnetization of BaFe12-2xCoxSnxO19 (x=0.9,1.28) single crystals

The distribution of Sn4+ cations within the five crystallographic sites of the magnetoplumbite (M) ‐like compound BaFe12−2xCoxSnxO19 has been analyzed using single‐crystal x‐ray‐diffraction data. The species Fe3+ and Co2+ cannot be distinguished using x rays because of their very similar atomic numbers; however, the calculation of the apparent valencies for the different sites allows an insight into the Co2+ cation segregation. The use of previous data from neutron powder diffraction allows a precise picture of the cation distribution, which indicates a pronounced site selectivity for both Sn4+ and Co2+ cations. The Sn4+ cations prefer the 4f2 sites and to a much lower extent the 12k sites, while they do not enter the octahedral 2a sites at all. Co2+ cations are distributed among tetrahedral and octahedral sites displaying a clear preference for the tetrahedral 4f1 sites. Magnetic measurements indicate that the compound still exhibits uniaxial anisotropy with the easy direction parallel to the c axis. Nevertheless, the magnetic structure shows a considerable degree of noncolinearity. A strong reduction of the magnetic anisotropy regarding that of the undoped compound is also detected.