L. Auditore

Results of the ASY-EOS experiment at GSI : the symmetry energy at suprasaturation density

Directed and elliptic flows of neutrons and light charged particles were measured for the reaction 197Au+197Au at 400 MeV/nucleon incident energy within the ASY-EOS experimental campaign at the GSI laboratory. The detection system consisted of the Large Area Neutron Detector LAND, combined with parts of the CHIMERA multidetector, of the ALADIN Time-of-flight Wall, and of the Washington-University Microball detector. The latter three arrays were used for the event characterization and reaction-plane reconstruction. In addition, an array of triple telescopes, KRATTA, was used for complementary measurements of the isotopic composition and flows of light charged particles. From the comparison of the elliptic flow ratio of neutrons with respect to charged particles with UrQMD predictions, a value gamma = 0.72 pm 0.19 is obtained for the power-law coefficient describing the density dependence of the potential part in the parametrization of the symmetry energy. It represents a new and more stringent constraint for the regime of supra-saturation density and confirms, with a considerably smaller uncertainty, the moderately soft to linear density dependence deduced from the earlier FOPI-LAND data. The densities probed are shown to reach beyond twice saturation.

Isotope correlations as a probe for freeze-out characterization: central124Sn+64Ni,112Sn+58Ni collisions

Abstract 124 Sn+ 64 Ni and 112 Sn+ 58 Ni reactions at 35 AMeV incident energy were studied with the forward part of CHIMERA multi-detector. The most central collisions were selected by means of a multidimensional analysis. The characteristics of the source formed in the central collisions, as size, temperature and volume, were inspected. The measured isotopes of light fragments (3 ⩽ Z ⩽ 8) were used to examine isotope yield ratios that provide information on the free neutron to proton densities.

Kinematical coincidence method in transfer reactions

Abstract A new method to extract high resolution angular distributions from kinematical coincidence measurements in binary reactions is presented. Kinematics is used to extract the center of mass angular distribution from the measured energy spectrum of light particles. Results obtained in the case of 10Be+p→9Be+d reaction measured with the CHIMERA detector are shown. An angular resolution of few degrees in the center of mass is obtained. The range of applicability of the method is discussed.

A Compact 5 MeV S-Band Electron Linac Based X-Ray Source for Industrial Radiography

A compact and reliable X-ray source, based on a 5 MeV, 1 kW, S-band electron linac, has been set up at the Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Messina. This source, coupled with a GOS scintillator screen and a CCD camera, represents an innovative transportable system for industrial radiography and X-ray tomography. Optimization of the parameters influencing the e-γ conversion and the X-ray beam characteristics have been studied by means of the MCNP-4C2 (Monte-Carlo-N-Particle, version 4C2) code. The converter choice is the result of the study of the e-γ conversion performances for different materials and material thicknesses. Also the converter position with respect to the linac exit window has been studied. The chosen converter consists in a W-Cu target inserted close to the linac window. In the final source project, a collimation system provides a 14 cm diameter X-ray spot at the sample position, and preliminary radiographic results have been obtained by inspecting different density materials and thicknesses.

CALOCUBE: an approach to high-granularity and homogenous calorimetry for space based detectors

Future space experiments dedicated to the observation of high-energy gamma and cosmic rays will increasingly rely on a highly performing calorimetry apparatus, and their physics performance will be primarily determined by the geometrical dimensions and the energy resolution of the calorimeter deployed. Thus it is extremely important to optimize its geometrical acceptance, the granularity, and its absorption depth for the measurement of the particle energy with respect to the total mass of the apparatus which is the most important constraint for a space launch. The proposed design tries to satisfy these criteria while staying within a total mass budget of about 1.6 tons. Calocube is a homogeneous calorimeter instrumented with Cesium iodide (CsI) crystals, whose geometry is cubic and isotropic, so as to detect particles

Going towards the dual energy x-ray radiographic system for material recognition purposes

Non Destructive Testing (NDT) has become the most used technique to inspect objects in order to find manufacturing defects (quality control), investigate contents (custom control), detect damages (structural control). However, the mono-energetic NDT can only discover a density variation in the analyzed sample, but in most cases no hypothesis can be done on its composition; a complete inspection of an object would require the recognition of the materials composing the analyzed sample, and this can be achieved by means of the dual energy x-ray radiography. In this context, the INFN - Gruppo Collegato di Messina is planning to implement the radio-tomographic system of the Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Messina, based on a 5 MeV electron linac, to the aim to provide dual energy x-ray beams for material recognition purposes. Preliminary caculations have been performed to evaluate the different electron energies obtainable acting on the linac parameters. Moreover, according to a theoretical study on the x-ray transmission for two chosen x-ray energy spectra, the material recognition should be possible by means of the developed radio-tomographic device.

Decay competition in IMF production in the collisions 78 Kr+ 40 Ca and 86 Kr+ 48 Ca at 10 AMeV

De-excitation modes of compound systems 118 Ba and 134 Ba, produced respectively in the 78 Kr+ 40 Ca and 86 Kr+ 48 Ca collisions at 10 A.MeV, are investigated. In particular, the competition between the various disintegration decay paths of medium mass compound nuclei, formed by fusion processes and the isospin (related to N/Z) of the entrance channel influence on the decay process, are studied. Data were taken at the INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in ISODEC experiment, by using the CHIMERA array. The experiment complements and improves the previous experiment performed at GANIL where the same mechanisms were studied at lower excitation energies. The results show the presence of a relaxed component in the reaction mechanism, evident staggering effects in the Z distributions, as well as different isotopic composition and neutron enrichment for the reaction products in the two systems.

Emission of fragments in Ca+Ca reactions at 25 MeV/nucleon

We discuss experimental data concerning 40,48Ca+40,48Ca reactions at 25 MeV/nucleon; the 4π multi-detector Chimera has been used as detection device. Effects that can be attributed to the neutron to proton ratios (N/Z) degree of freedom have been investigated. From the analysis of experimental data it seems that the neutron richness of the interacting system plays an important role on the evolution of fusion-like sources formed in semi-central collisions. In particular, it is observed that the larger is the neutron content and the larger is the emission of heavy residues. Experimental data have been compared with CoMD-II model calculations; a moderately stiff symmetry energy should be used to reproduce satisfactorily the data. A thermodynamical analysis on fusion-like sources has been also performed. In semi-peripheral collisions, isospin diffusion signals have been found. They have been investigated by analyzing isobaric emission (7Li/7Be) of quasi-projectile sources. Experimental data indicate that an incomplete N/Z mixing is reached during the interaction phase.

The N/Z key role on the dynamics of medium mass nuclear systems near fragmentation threshold

Effects related to the neutron to proton ratio (N/Z) degree of freedom in nuclear collisions 40Ca + 40Ca, 40Ca + 48Ca and 48Ca + 48Ca at 25 MeV per nucleon, analyzed by means of the Chimera multi-detector, have been investigated. Strong isotopic effects are found in mass distributions of light isotopes. Moreover, the competition between various reaction mechanisms at semi-central impact parameters seems to be influenced by the neutron richness of the total system formed.

CaloCube: an innovative homogeneous calorimeter for the next-generation space experiments

The direct measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum, up to the knee region, is one of the instrumental challenges for next generation space experiments. The main issue for these measurements is a steeply falling spectrum with increasing energy, so the physics performance of the space calorimeters are primarily determined by their geometrical acceptance and energy resolution. CaloCube is a three-year R&D project, approved and financed by INFN in 2014, aiming to optimize the design of a space-born calorimeter. The peculiarity of the design of CaloCube is its capability of detecting particles coming from any direction, and not only those on its upper surface. To ensure that the quality of the measurement does not depend on the arrival direction of the particles, the calorimeter will be designed as homogeneous and isotropic as possible. In addition, to achieve a high discrimination power for hadrons and nuclei with respect to electrons, the sensitive elements of the calorimeter need to have a fine 3-D sampling capability. In order to optimize the detector performances with respect to the total mass of the apparatus, which is the most important constraint for a space launch, a comparative study of different scintillating materials has been performed using detailed Monte Carlo simulation based on the FLUKA package. In parallel to simulation studies, a prototype consisting in 14 layers of 3 x 3 CsI(Tl) crystals per layer has been assembled and tested with particle beams. An overview of the obtained results during the first two years of the project will be presented and the future of the detector will be discussed too.