S. J. Yennello

Constraints on the symmetry energy and neutron skins from experiments and theory

The symmetry energy contribution to the nuclear equation of state impacts various phenomena in nuclear astrophysics, nuclear structure, and nuclear reactions. Its determination is a key objective of contemporary nuclear physics, with consequences for the understanding of dense matter within neutron stars. We examine the results of laboratory experiments that have provided initial constraints on the nuclear symmetry energy and on its density dependence at and somewhat below normal nuclear matter density. Even though some of these constraints have been derived from properties of nuclei while others have been derived from the nuclear response to electroweak and hadronic probes, within experimental uncertainties-they are consistent with each other. We also examine the most frequently used theoretical models that predict the symmetry energy and its slope parameter. By comparing existing constraints on the symmetry pressure to theories, we demonstrate how contributions of three-body forces, which are essential ingredients in neutron matter models, can be determined.

The liquid to vapor phase transition in excited nuclei

The thermal component of the 8 GeV/c pi+ Au data of the ISiS Collaboration is shown to follow the scaling predicted by Fishers model when Coulomb energy is taken into account. Critical exponents tau and sigma, the critical point (p(c),rho(c),T(c)), surface energy coefficient c(0), enthalpy of evaporation DeltaH, and critical compressibility factor C(F)(c) are determined. For the first time, the experimental phase diagrams, (p,T) and (T,rho), describing the liquid vapor coexistence of finite neutral nuclear matter have been constructed.

Signals for a transition from surface to bulk emission in thermal multifragmentation.

Excitation-energy-gated two-fragment correlation functions have been studied between E(*)/A = (2-9)A MeV for equilibriumlike sources formed in 8-10 GeV/c pi(-) and p+197Au reactions. Comparison with an N-body Coulomb-trajectory code shows an order of magnitude decrease in the fragment emission time in the interval E(*)/A = (2-5)A MeV, followed by a nearly constant breakup time at higher excitation energy. The decrease in emission time is strongly correlated with the onset of multifragmentation and thermally induced radial expansion, consistent with a transition from surface-dominated to bulk emission expected for spinodal decomposition.

Isospin dependence of collective flow in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies

Within the framework of an isospin-dependent Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck model using initial proton and neutron densities calculated from the nonlinear relativistic mean-field theory, we compare the strength of transverse collective flow in reactions {sup 48}Ca+{sup 58}Fe and {sup 48}Cr+{sup 58}Ni, which have the same mass number but different neutron/proton ratios. The neutron-rich system ({sup 48}Ca+{sup 58}Fe) is found to show significantly stronger negative deflection and consequently has a higher balance energy, especially in peripheral collisions. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

Event-by-Event Analysis of Proton-Induced Nuclear Multifragmentation: Determination of the Phase Transition Universality Class in a System with Extreme Finite-Size Constraints

A percolation model of nuclear fragmentation is used to interpret 10.2 GeV/c p+197Au multifragmentation data. Emphasis is put on finding signatures of a continuous nuclear matter phase transition in finite nuclear systems. Based on model calculations, corrections accounting for physical constraints of the fragment detection and sequential decay processes are derived. Strong circumstantial evidence for a continuous phase transition is found, and the values of two critical exponents, sigma = 0.5+/-0.1 and tau = 2.35+/-0.05, are extracted from the data. A critical temperature of T(c) = 8.3+/-0.2 MeV is found.

Heavy-residue isoscaling as a probe of the symmetry energy of hot fragments

The isoscaling properties of isotopically resolved projectile residues from peripheral collisions of {sup 86}Kr (25 MeV/nucleon) {sup 64}Ni (25 MeV/nucleon), and {sup 136}Xe (20 MeV/nucleon) beams on various target pairs are employed to probe the symmetry energy coefficient of the nuclear binding energy. The present study focuses on heavy projectile fragments produced in peripheral and semiperipheral collisions near the onset of multifragment emission (E{sup *}/A=2-3 MeV). For these fragments, the measured average velocities are used to extract excitation energies. The excitation energies, in turn, are used to estimate the temperatures of the fragmenting quasiprojectiles in the framework the Fermi gas model. The isoscaling analysis of the fragment yields provided the isoscaling parameters {alpha} that, in combination with temperatures and isospin asymmetries provided the symmetry energy coefficient of the nuclear binding energy of the hot fragmenting quasiprojectiles. The extracted values of the symmetry energy coefficient at this excitation energy range (2-3 MeV/nucleon) are lower than the typical liquid-drop model value {approx}25 MeV corresponding to ground-state nuclei and show a monotonic decrease with increasing excitation energy. This result is of importance in the formation of hot nuclei in heavy-ion reactions and in hot stellar environments such as supernova.

Symmetry energy and the isospin dependent equation of state

We show that the large sequential decay corrections obtained by Ono {\it et al} [nucl-ex/0507018], is in contradiction with both the other dynamical and statistical model calculations carried out for the same systems and energy. On the other hand, the conclusion of Shetty {\it {et al.}}

Single neutron emission following 11Li β-decay

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The use of radioactive nuclear beams to study the equilibration of the N Z degree of freedom in intermediate-energy heavy-ion reactions

Phys. Rev. C 70, 011601R (2004)

Critical behavior in light nuclear systems: Experimental aspects

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