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Symmetry Energy of Dilute Warm Nuclear Matter

J. B. Natowitz, G. Röpke, S. Typel, D. Blaschke, A. Bonasera, K. Hagel, T. Klähn, S. Kowalski, L. Qin, S. Shlomo, R. Wada, and H. H. Wolter
Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 202501 – Published 17 May 2010
Physics logo See Viewpoint: Getting a better handle on nuclear matter at low density

Abstract

The symmetry energy of nuclear matter is a fundamental ingredient in the investigation of exotic nuclei, heavy-ion collisions, and astrophysical phenomena. New data from heavy-ion collisions can be used to extract the free symmetry energy and the internal symmetry energy at subsaturation densities and temperatures below 10 MeV. Conventional theoretical calculations of the symmetry energy based on mean-field approaches fail to give the correct low-temperature, low-density limit that is governed by correlations, in particular, by the appearance of bound states. A recently developed quantum-statistical approach that takes the formation of clusters into account predicts symmetry energies that are in very good agreement with the experimental data. A consistent description of the symmetry energy is given that joins the correct low-density limit with quasiparticle approaches valid near the saturation density.

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  • Received 13 January 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.202501

©2010 American Physical Society

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Getting a better handle on nuclear matter at low density

Published 17 May 2010

New calculations of the effects of asymmetry in numbers of neutrons and protons in nuclei agree well with experiment and provide vital information in understanding nuclear matter at low density.

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Authors & Affiliations

J. B. Natowitz1, G. Röpke2, S. Typel3,4, D. Blaschke5,6, A. Bonasera1,7, K. Hagel1, T. Klähn5,8, S. Kowalski1, L. Qin1, S. Shlomo1, R. Wada1, and H. H. Wolter9

  • 1Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3366, USA
  • 2Institut für Physik, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 3, D-18055 Rostock, Germany
  • 3Excellence Cluster Universe, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstraße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
  • 4GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Theorie, Planckstraße 1, D-64291 Darmstadt, Germany
  • 5Instytut Fizyki Teoretycznej, Uniwersytet Wrocławski, plac Maksa Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław, Poland
  • 6Bogoliubov Laboratory for Theoretical Physics, JINR Dubna, Joliot-Curie street 6, 141980 Dubna, Russia
  • 7Laboratori Nazionali del Sud-INFN, via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
  • 8Theory Group, Physics Division, Building 203, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
  • 9Fakultät für Physik, Universität München, Am Coulombwall 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 20 — 21 May 2010

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