Shell effect on stabilization processes following multi-electron transfer in slow Arq+-Ar (g=6-9, 11) collisions

We experimentally investigate the shell effect on the stabilization processes following the multi-electron transfer in slow collisions of Arq+-Ar (q = 6-9, It) The relative cross-section ratios of multi-electron transfer and of the subsequent stabilization with respect to single-electron capture are measured meanwhile compared with the theoretical results predicted by the classical over-barrier model. Our result indicates that the multi-electron transfer is dominant when the projectile charge is large and the subsequent stabilization shows a dramatic variation if the projectile L-shell configuration becomes open. It shows that the subsequent stabilization processes of multiply excited scattering ions have a strong dependence on the projectile shell. (C) 2010 Elsevier BV All rights reserved.

Recent Progress in Constraining the Equation of State of Dense Neutron-Rich Nuclear Matter with Heavy-Ion Reactions

The nuclear symmetry energy E-sym(rho) is the most uncertain part of the Equation of State (EOS) of dense neutron-rich nuclear matter. In this talk, we discuss the underlying physics responsible for the uncertain E-sym(rho) especially at supra-saturation densities, the circumstantial evidence for a super-soft E-sym(rho) from analyzing pi(-)/pi(+) ratio in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and its impacts on astrophysics and cosmology.

PROBING THE SYMMETRY ENERGY AT SUPRA-SATURATION DENSITIES FROM PION EMISSION IN HEAVY-ION COLLISIONS

Within the framework of the improved isospin dependent quantum molecular dynamics (ImIQMD) model, the emission of pion in heavy-ion collisions in the region 1 A GeV as a probe of nuclear symmetry energy at supra-saturation densities is investigated systematically, in which the pion is considered to be mainly produced by the decay of resonances Delta(1232) and N*(1440). The pi(-)/pi(+) yields are calculated for selected Skyrme parameters SkP, SLy6, Ska and SIII, and also for the cases of different stiffness of symmetry energy with the parameter SLy6. Preliminary results compared with the measured data by the FOPI collaboration favor a hard symmetry energy of the potential term proportional to (rho/rho(0))(gamma s) with gamma(s) = 2.

TRITON-(HE)-H-3 RELATIVE AND DIFFERENTIAL FLOWS AND THE HIGH DENSITY BEHAVIOR OF NUCLEAR SYMMETRY ENERGY

Using a transport model coupled with a phase-space coalescence after-burner we study the triton-He-3 relative and differential transverse flows in semi-central Sn-132 + Sn-124 reactions at a beam energy of 400 MeV/nucleon. We find that the triton-He-3 pairs carry interesting information about the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy. The t-He-3 relative flow can be used as a particularly powerful probe of the high-density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy.

Triangular flow in event-by-event ideal hydrodynamics in Au+Au collisions at √SNN = 200A GeV

The first calculation of triangular flow ν3 in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200A GeV from an event-by-event (3 + 1) d transport+hydrodynamics hybrid approach is presented. As a response to the initial triangularity Ie{cyrillic, ukrainian}3 of the collision zone, ν3 is computed in a similar way to the standard event-plane analysis for elliptic flow ν2. It is found that the triangular flow exhibits weak centrality dependence and is roughly equal to elliptic flow in most central collisions. We also explore the transverse momentum and rapidity dependence of ν2 and ν3 for charged particles as well as identified particles. We conclude that an event-by-event treatment of the ideal hydrodynamic evolution startingwith realistic initial conditions generates the main features expected for triangular flow. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Positronium formation in positron-noble gas collisions

Distorted-wave Born approximation calculations for Ps formation in positron impact on He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe are reported for the energy range up to 200 eV. Capture into the n = 1, 2 and 3 states of Ps is calculated explicitly and 1/n(3) scaling is used to estimate capture into states with n > 3. The calculations for the heavier noble gases allow for capture not only from the outer np(6) shell of the atom but also from the first inner ns(2) shell. However, the inner shell capture is found to be very small. Although by no means unambiguous, the calculations provide some support to the conjecture of Larrichia et al. [J. Phys. B 35 (2002) 2525] that the double peak and shoulder structures observed experimentally for Ps formation in Ar, Kr and Xe arise from formation in excited states. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Positronium-atom collisions

New results are presented for Ps(1s) scattering by H(1s), He(1(1)S) and Li(2s). Calculations have been performed in a coupled state framework, usually employing pseudostates, and allowing for excitation of both the Ps and the atom. In the Ps(1s)-H(1s) calculations the H- formation channel has also been included using a highly accurate H- wave function. Resonances resulting from unstable states in which the positron orbits H- have been calculated and analysed. The new Ps(1s)-He(1(1)S) calculations still fail to resolve existing discrepancies between theory and experiment at very low energies. The possible importance of the Ps(-) formation channel in all three collision systems is discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal photon production in Au plus Au collisions: Viscous corrections in two different hydrodynamic formalisms

We calculate the spectra of produced thermal photons in Au + Au collisions taking into account the nonequilibrium contribution to photon production due to finite shear viscosity. The evolution of the fireball is modeled by second-order as well as by divergence-type 2 + 1 dissipative hydrodynamics, both with an ideal equation of state and with one based on Lattice QCD that includes an analytical crossover. The spectrum calculated in the divergence-type theory is considerably enhanced with respect to the one calculated in the second-order theory, the difference being entirely due to differences in the viscous corrections to photon production. Our results show that the differences in hydrodynamic formalisms are an important source of uncertainty in the extraction of the value of eta/s from measured photon spectra. The uncertainty in the value of eta/s associated with different hydrodynamic models used to compute thermal photon spectra is larger than the one occurring in matching hadron elliptic flow to RHIC data. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sound waves and solitons in hot and dense nuclear matter

Assuming that nuclear matter can be treated as a perfect fluid, we study the propagation of perturbations in the baryon density. The equation of state is derived from a relativistic mean field model, which is a variant of the non-linear Walecka model. The expansion of the Euler and continuity equations of relativistic hydrodynamics around equilibrium configurations leads to differential equations for the density perturbation. We solve them numerically for linear and spherical perturbations and follow the propagation of the initial pulses. For linear perturbations we find single soliton solutions and solutions with one or more solitons followed by ""radiation"". Depending on the equation of state a strong damping may occur. We consider also the evolution of perturbations in a medium without dispersive effects. In this case we observe the formation and breaking of shock waves. We study all these equations also for matter at finite temperature. Our results may be relevant for the analysis of RHIC data. They suggest that the shock waves formed in the quark gluon plasma phase may survive and propagate in the hadronic phase. (C) 2009 Elseiver. B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoproduction of J/psi and of high mass e(+)e(-) in ultra-peripheral Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We present the first measurement of photoproduction of J/psi and of two-photon production of high-mass e(+)e(-) pairs in electromagnetic (or ultra-peripheral) nucleus-nucleus interactions, using Au + Au data at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. The events are tagged with forward neutrons emitted following Coulomb excitation of one or both Au* nuclei. The event sample consists of 28 events with m(e+e-) > 2 GeV/c(2) with zero like-sign background. The measured cross sections at midrapidity of d sigma/dy (J/psi + Xn, y = 0) = 76 +/- 33 (stat) +/- 11 (syst) pb and d(2)sigma /dm dy (e(+) e(-) + Xn, y = 0) = 86 +/- 23(stat) +/- 16(syst) mu b/ (GeV/c(2)) for m(e+e-) epsilon vertical bar 2.0, 2.8 vertical bar GeV/c(2) have been compared and found to be consistent with models for photoproduction of J/psi and QED based calculations of two-photon production of e(+)e(-) pairs. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.