arXiv subjects

A. Z. Mekjian

Publications and source records attributed to A. Z. Mekjian.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2012

Neutron Skin size dependence of the nuclear binding energy

The nuclear binding energy is studied using a finite temperature density functional theory. A Skyrme interaction is used in this work. Volume, surface, and symmetry energy contributions to the binding energy are investigated. The case of neutron skin is considered in detail. The neutron skin modifies the mass $A$ dependence of various terms and $I$ dependence of the skin thickness is proportional to $I$ for the case of same central density.

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arXiv2010

Symmetry and Surface Symmetry Energies in Finite Nuclei

A study of properties of the symmetry energy of nuclei is presented based on density functional theory. Calculations for finite nuclei are given so that the study includes isospin dependent surface symmetry considerations as well as isospin independent surface effects. Calculations are done at both zero and non-zero temperature. It is shown that the surface symmetry energy term is the most sensitive to the temperature while the bulk energy term is the least sensitive. It is also shown that the temperature dependence terms are insensitive to the force used and even more insensitive to the existence of neutron skin. Results for a symmetry energy with both volume and surface terms are compared with a symmetry energy with only volume terms along the line of $β$ stability. Differences of several MeV are shown over a good fraction of the total mass range in $A$. Also given are calculations for the bulk, surface and Coulomb terms.

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arXiv2009

Density functional approach to finite temperature nuclear properties and the role of a momentum dependent isovector interaction

Using a density functional approach based on a Skyrme interaction, thermodynamic properties of finite nuclei are investigated at non-zero temperture. The role of a momentum dependent isovector term is now studied besides volume, symmetry, surface and Coulomb effects. Various features associated with both mechanical and chemical instability and the liquid-gas coexistence curve are sensitive to the Skyrme interaction. The separated effects of the isoscalar term and the isovector term of momentum dependent interaction are studied for a modified SKM($m^*=m$) interaction. The frequently used Skyrme interaction SLy4 is one of the cases considered and is shown to have better features for neutron star studies due to a larger symmetry energy.

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arXiv2008

Feshbach Resonances and Limiting Thermodynamics of Strongly Correlated Nucleons

A finite temperature model of strongly correlated nucleons with underlying isospin symmetries is developed. The model can be used to study the role of bound states and Feshbach resonances on the thermal properties of a spin 1/2, isospin 1/2 system of protons and neutrons by varying the proton fraction. An analysis of features associated with a universal thermodynamic limit or unitary limit is given. In the limit of very large scattering length, the effective range to quantum thermal wavelength appears as a limiting scale in an interaction energy and equation of state.

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arXiv2008

Critical Exponents and Particle Multiplicity Distributions in High Energy Collisions

Data from the L3, Tasso, Opal and Delphi collaborations are analyzed in terms of a statistical model of high energy collisions. The model contains a power law critical exponent tau and Levy index alpha. These data are used to study values of tau and alpha. The very high multiplicity events in L3, Opal and Delphi are consistent with a model based on a Feynman-Wilson gas which has a tail exponent tau=3/2 and alpha=1/2.

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arXiv2008

Nuclear Chemical and Mechanical Instability and the Liquid-Gas Phase Transition in Nuclei

The thermodynamic properties of nuclei are studied in a mean field model using a Skryme interaction. Properties of two component systems are investigated over the complete range of proton fraction from a system of pure neutrons to a system of only protons. Besides volume, symmetry, and Coulomb effects we also include momentum or velocity dependent forces. Applications of the results developed are then given which include nuclear mechanical and chemical instability and an associated liquid/gas phase transition in two component systems. The velocity dependence leads to further changes in the coexistence curve and nuclear mechanical and chemical instability curves.

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arXiv2006

A Bose-Einstein Model of Particle Multiplicity Distributions

A model of particle production is developed based on a parallel with a theory of Bose-Einstein condensation and similarities with other critical phenomena such as critical opalescence. The role of a power law critical exponent tau and Levy index alpha are studied. Various features of this model are developed and compared with other commonly used models of particle production which are shown to differ by having different values for tau, alpha. While void scaling is a feature of this model, hierarchical structure is not a general property of it. The value of the exponent tau=2 is a transition point associated with void and hierarchical scaling features. An exponent gamma is introduced to describe enhanced fluctuations near a critical point. Experimentally determined properties of the void scaling function can be used to determine tau.

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arXiv2005

Expressions for the number of J=0 pairs in even-even Ti isotopes

We count the number of pairs in the single j-shell model of {44}Ti for various interactions. For a state of total angular momentum I, the wave function can be written in terms of the probability amplitude D(Jp Jn) that the protons couple to Jp and the neutrons to Jn. For I=0 there are three states with (I=0,T=0) and one with (I=0,T=2). The latter is the double analog of {44}Ca. In that case (T=2), the magnitude of D(JJ) is the same as that of a corresponding two-particle fractional parentage coefficient. In counting the number of pairs with an even angular momentum J, we find a new relationship obtained by diagonalizing a unitary nine-j symbol. We are also able to get results for the `no-interaction' case for T=0 states, for which it is found, e.g., that there are less (J=1,T=0) pairs than on the average. Relative to this `no-interaction case', we find for the most realistic interaction used that there is an enhancement of pairs with angular momentum J=0,2,1 and 7, and a depletion for the others. Also considered are interactions in which only the (J=0,T=1) pair state is at lower energy, only the (J=1,T=0) pair state is lowered and where both are equally lowered, as well as the QQ interaction. We are also able to obtain simplified formulae for the number of J=0 pairs for the I=0 states in {46}Ti and {48}Ti by noting that the unique state with isospin |Tz|+2 is orthogonal to all the states with isospin |Tz|.

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arXiv2005

Interrelationship of Isospin and Angular Momentum

It is noted that the simple interaction in isospin variables $a (1/4 - t(i)\cdot t(j))$, in a single $j$ shell calculation, can also be written with angular momentum variables. For the configuration $(j^2) J_A$ for even $J_A$ the isospin is one; for odd $J_A$ it is zero. Hence the above interaction can also be written as $a (1 - (-1)^{J_A})/2$. For the I=0 state of an even-even Ti isotope with $n$ neutrons, the hamiltonian matrix element of this interaction is $\bra [J'J']_0 |H| [JJ]_0\ket/a = (n+1) δ_{JJ'} - (n+1) (j^n Jj|\} j^{n+1} j) (j^n J'j|\} j^{n+1} j)$. The eigenvalues of this interaction can be found by using the isospin form of the interaction. They are $(n+1)a$ for $T = |N-Z|/2$ and zero for $T = |N-Z|/2 + 2$. One can apply this to some extent to obtain the number of pairs of nucleons with given total angular momentum $J_A$ in a given Ti isotope.

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arXiv2005

Nuclear Incompressibility in Asymmetric Systems at Finite Temperature and Entropy

The nuclear incompressibility $κ$ is investigated in asymmetric systems in a mean field model. The calculations are done at zero and finite temperatures and include surface, Coulomb and symmetry energy terms for several equations of state. Also considered is the behavior of the incompressibility at constant entropy $kappa_Q$ which is shown to have a very different behavior than the isothermal $kappa$. Namely, $kappa_Q$ decreases with increasing entropy while the isothermal $kappa$ increases with increasing $T$. A duality is found between the adiabatic $kappa_Q$ and the T=0 isothermal $kappa$. Analytic and also simple approximate expressions for $kappa$ are given.

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arXiv2004

The Thermodynamic Model for Nuclear Multifragmentation

A great many observables seen in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions can be explained on the basis of statistical equilibrium. Calculations based on statistical equilibrium can be implemented in microcanonical ensemble (energy and number of particles in the system are kept fixed), canonical ensemble (temperature and number of particles are kept fixed) or grand canonical ensemble (fixed temperature and a variable number of particles but with an assigned average). This paper deals with calculations with canonical ensembles. A recursive relation developed recently allows calculations with arbitrary precision for many nuclear problems. Calculations are done to study the nature of phase transition in intermediate energy heavy ion collision, to study the caloric curves for nuclei and to explore the possibility of negative specific heat because of the finiteness of nuclear systems. The model can also be used for detailed calculations of other observables not connected with phase transitions, such as populations of selected isotopes in a heavy ion collision. The model also serves a pedagogical purpose. For the problems at hand, both the canonical and grand canonical solutions are obtainable with arbitrary accuracy hence we can compare the values of observables obtained from the canonical calculations with those from the grand canonical. Sometimes, very interesting discrepancies are found. To illustrate the predictive power of the model, calculated observables are com$data from the central collisions of Sn isotopes.

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arXiv2004

Nuclear Incompressibility at Finite Temperature and Entropy

Features of the nuclear isothermal incompressibility $κ$ and adiabatic incompressibility $κ_Q$ are investigated. The calculations are done at zero and finite temperatures and non zero entropy and for several equations of state. It is shown that $κ_Q$ decreases with increasing entropy while the isothermal $κ$ increases with increasing $T$. A duality is found between the adiabatic $κ_Q$ and the T=0 isothermal $κ$. Our isothermal results are compared with a recent lattice Monte Carlo calculation done at finite $T$. The necessity of including correlations is shown if $κ$ is to have a peak with increasing $T$ as seen in the Monte Carlo calculations. A peak in $κ$ is linked to attractive scattering correlations in two nucleons channel in the virial expansion in our approach which are Pauli blocked at low $T$.

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arXiv2003

Exploring proton rich systems and Coulomb induced instabilities

The thermodynamic properties of proton rich systems are explored in a mean field approach which is generated from a Skyrme interaction. The addition of Coulomb interactions result in asymmetries which modify the chemical and mechanical instability of the system and its equilibrium properties. These properties are studied for systems with proton fraction $y$ on the proton richer side of the valley of $β$-stability as well as the neutron rich side. Coulomb induced instabilities lead to proton diffusion processes on the proton richer side and also large asymmetries in chemical and mechanical instabilities and coexistence curves. Considering the whole range of $0 \le y \le 1$, we can study how the symmetry about $y=1/2$ is broken by asymmetric interaction and we can also explicitly show that the role between proton and neutron is exchanged around $y_E$. It is shown that there are two asymmetric coexistence surfaces in $(y, P, T)$ space, one for $y < y_E$ and another for $y > y_E$ and touching each other at $y_E$. These asymmetries in instabilities show up as new branches, one for $y < y_E$ and one for $y > y_E$, and thus form a closed loop in pressure versus $ρ$ for both chemical instability and coexistence regions. The branch of $y > 1/2 > y_E$ was not previously investigated since only the $y < 1/2$ region is usually considered. In our simplified model, mechanical instability is still symmetric around a point $y_E \ne 1/2$ even with Coulomb forces present.

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arXiv2003

Specific heat at constant volume in the thermodynamic model

A thermodynamic model for multifragmentation which is frequently used appears to give very different values for specific heat at constant volume depending upon whether canonical or grand canonical ensemble is used. The cause for this discrepancy is analysed.

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arXiv2003

Development of particle multiplicity distributions using a general form of the grand canonical partition function and applications to L3 and H1 Data

Various phenomenological models of particle multiplicity distributions are discussed using a general form of a unified model which is based on the grand canonical partition function and Feynman's path integral approach to statistical processes. These models can be written as special cases of a more general distribution which has three control parameters which are $a$, $x$, $z$. The relation to these parameters to various physical quantities are discussed. A connection of the parameter $a$ with Fisher's critical exponent $τ$ is developed. Using this grand canonical approach, moments, cumulants and combinants are discussed and a physical interpretation of the combinants are given and their behavior connected to the critical exponent $τ$. Various physical phenomena such as hierarchical structure, void scaling relations, KNO scaling features, clan variables, and branching laws are shown in terms of this general approach. Several of these features which were previously developed in terms of the negative binomial distribution are found to be more general. Both hierarchical structure and void scaling relations depend on the Fisher exponent $τ$. Applications of our approach to the charged particle multiplicity distribution in jets of L3 and H1 data are given. It is shown that just looking at the mean and fluctuation of data is not enough to distinguish these distributions or the underlying mechanism. The mean, fluctuation and third cummulant of distribution determine three parameters $x$, $z$, $a$. We find that a generalized random work model fits the data better than the widely used negative binomial model.

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arXiv2003

Model of multifragmentation, Equation of State and phase transition

We consider a soluble model of multifragmentation which is similar in spirit to many models which have been used to fit intermediate energy heavy ion collision data. We draw a p-V diagram for the model and compare with a p-V diagram obtained from a mean-field theory. We investigate the question of chemical instability in the multifragmentation model. Phase transitions in the model are discussed.

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arXiv2002

Liquid-Gas Phase Transition and Instabilities in Asymmetric Two Component Systems

The liquid-gas phase transition and associated instability in two component systems are investigated using a mean field theory. The importance of the role of both the Coulomb force and symmetry energy terms are studied. The addition of the Coulomb terms bring asymmetry into a mean field and thus result in important differences with previous approaches which did not include such terms. The Coulomb effects modify the chemical instability and mechanical instability domains shifting many features away from proton fraction point y=1/2 to a value closer to the valley of βstability. These features are discussed in detail.

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arXiv2002

Comparison of various models of particle multiplicity distributions using a general form of the grand canonical partition function

Various phenomenological models of particle multiplicity distributions are discussed using a general form of the grand canonical partition function. These phenomenological models include a wide range of varied processes such as coherent emission or Poisson processes, chaotic emission resulting in a negative binomial distribution, combinations of coherent and chaotic processes called signal/noise distributions, and models based on field emission from Lorentzian line shapes leading to Lorentz/Catalan distributions. These specific cases can be written as special cases of a more general distribution. Using this grand canonical approach moments and cumulants, combinants, hierarchical structure, void scaling relations, KNO scaling features, clan variables and branching laws associated with stochastic or ancestral variables are discussed. It is shown that just looking at the mean and fluctuation of data is not enough to distinguish these distributions or the underlying mechanism. A generalization of the Poisson transform of a distribution and the Poissonian decomposition of it into a compound or sequential process is also given.

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