arXiv subjects

Diego Lonardoni

Publications and source records attributed to Diego Lonardoni.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Short-range expansion for the quantum many-body problem

In this work we derive a systematic short-range expansion of the many-body wave function. At leading order, the wave function is factorized to a zero-energy $s$-wave correlated pair and spectator particles, while terms that include energy derivatives and larger orbital angular momentum two-body functions appear at subleading orders. The validity of the expansion is tested for the two-body case, as well as the many-body case, where infinite neutron matter is considered. An accurate and consistent description of both coordinate-space two-body densities and the one-body momentum distribution is obtained. These results show the possibility to utilize such an expansion for describing different observables in strongly-interacting many-body systems, including nuclear, atomic and condensed-matter systems. This work also enables a systematic description of large momentum transfer reactions in nuclear systems sensitive to short-range correlations, provides a link between such experiments and low-energy nuclear physics, and motivates measurement of new observables in these experiments.

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arXiv2020

Spin Susceptibility in Neutron Matter from Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations

The spin susceptibility in pure neutron matter is computed from auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo calculations over a wide range of densities. The calculations are performed for different spin asymmetries, while using twist-averaged boundary conditions to reduce finite-size effects. The employed nuclear interactions include both the phenomenological Argonne AV8$^\prime$+UIX potential and local interactions that are derived from chiral effective field theory up to next-to-next-to-leading order.

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arXiv2020

Atomic nuclei from quantum Monte Carlo calculations with chiral EFT interactions

Quantum Monte Carlo methods are powerful numerical tools to accurately solve the Schrödinger equation for nuclear systems, a necessary step to describe the structure and reactions of nuclei and nucleonic matter starting from realistic interactions and currents. These ab-initio methods have been used to accurately compute properties of light nuclei -- including their spectra, moments, and transitions -- and the equation of state of neutron and nuclear matter. In this work we review selected results obtained by combining quantum Monte Carlo methods and recent Hamiltonians constructed within chiral effective field theory.

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arXiv2019

Local chiral EFT potentials in nuclei and neutron matter: results and issues

In recent years, the combination of advanced quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods and local interactions derived from chiral effective field theory (EFT) has been shown to provide a versatile and systematic approach to nuclear systems. Calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order in chiral EFT have lead to fascinating results for nuclei and nucleonic matter. On the one hand, ground-state properties of nuclei are well reproduced up to $A\leq16$, even though these potentials have been fit to nucleon-nucleon scattering and few-body observables only. On the other hand, a reasonable description of neutron-matter properties emerges. While regulator functions applied to two- and three-nucleon forces are a necessary ingredient in these many-body calculations, the use of local regulators leads to a substantial residual regulator and cutoff dependence that increases current theoretical uncertainties. In this contribution, we review local chiral interactions, their applications, and QMC results for nuclei and neutron matter. In addition, we address regulator issues for such potentials and present a possible path forward.

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arXiv2018

Medium-mass hypernuclei and the nucleon-isospin dependence of the three-body hyperon-nucleon-nucleon force

We report quantum Monte Carlo calculations of single-$Λ$ hypernuclei for $A<50$ based on phenomenological two- and three-body hyperon-nucleon forces. We present results for the $Λ$ separation energy in different hyperon orbits, showing that the accuracy of theoretical predictions exceeds that of currently available experimental data, especially for medium-mass hypernuclei. We show the results of a sensitivity study that indicates the possibility to investigate the nucleon-isospin dependence of the three-body hyperon-nucleon-nucleon force in the medium-mass region of the hypernuclear chart, where new spectroscopy studies are currently planned. The importance of such a dependence for the description of the physics of hypernuclei, and the consequences for the prediction of neutron star properties are discussed.

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arXiv2017

Exotic atoms at extremely high magnetic fields: the case of neutron star atmosphere

The presence of exotic states of matter in neutron stars (NSs) is currently an open issue in physics. The appearance of muons, kaons, hyperons, and other exotic particles in the inner regions of the NS, favored by energetic considerations, is considered to be an effective mechanism to soften the equation of state (EoS). In the so-called two-families scenario, the softening of the EoS allows for NSs characterized by very small radii, which become unstable and convert into a quark stars (QSs). In the process of conversion of a NS into a QS material can be ablated by neutrinos from the surface of the star. Not only neutron-rich nuclei, but also more exotic material, such as hypernuclei or deconfined quarks, could be ejected into the atmosphere. In the NS atmosphere, atoms like H, He, and C should exist, and attempts to model the NS thermal emission taking into account their presence, with spectra modified by the extreme magnetic fields, have been done. However, exotic atoms, like muonic hydrogen $(p\,μ^-)$ or the so-called Sigmium $(Σ^+\,e^-)$, could also be present during the conversion process or in its immediate aftermath. At present, analytical expressions of the wave functions and eigenvalues for these atoms have been calculated only for H. In this work, we extend the existing solutions and parametrizations to the exotic atoms $(p\,μ^-)$ and $(Σ^+\,e^-)$, making some predictions on possible transitions. Their detection in the spectra of NS would provide experimental evidence for the existence of hyperons in the interior of these stars.

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arXiv2015

The EOS of neutron matter and the effect of $Λ$ hyperons to neutron star structure

The structure of neutron stars is determined by the equation of state of the matter inside the star, which relies on the knowledge of nuclear interactions. While radii of neutron stars mostly depend on the equation of state of neutron matter at nuclear densities, their maximum mass can be drastically affected by the appearance of hyperons at higher densities in the inner core of the star. We summarize recent quantum Monte Carlo results on the calculation of the equation of state of neutron matter at nuclear and higher densities. We report about the development of realistic hyperon-nucleon interactions based on the available experimental data for light- and medium-heavy hypernuclei and on the effect of $Λ$ hyperons to the neutron star structure.

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arXiv2015

Strangeness in nuclei and neutron stars: a challenging puzzle

The prediction of neutron stars properties is strictly connected to the employed nuclear interactions. The appearance of hyperons in the inner core of the star is strongly dependent on the details of the underlying hypernuclear force. We summarize our recent quantum Monte Carlo results on the development of realistic two- and three-body hyperon-nucleon interactions based on the available experimental data for light- and medium-heavy hypernuclei.

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arXiv2015

New insights on the hyperon puzzle from quantum Monte Carlo calculations

In the last years auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo has been used to assess the properties of hypernuclear systems, from light- to medium-heavy hypernuclei and hyper-neutron matter. One of the main findings is the key role played by the three-body hyperon-nucleon-nucleon interaction in the determination of the hyperon separation energy of hypernuclei and as a possible solution to the hyperon puzzle. However, there are still aspects of the employed hypernuclear potential that remain to be carefully investigated. In this paper we show that the isospin dependence of the Lambda-NN force, which is crucial in determining the NS structure, is poorly constrained by the available experimental data.

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arXiv2015

Hyperon Puzzle: Hints from Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations

The onset of hyperons in the core of neutron stars and the consequent softening of the equation of state have been questioned for a long time. Controversial theoretical predictions and recent astrophysical observations of neutron stars are the grounds for the so-called hyperon puzzle. We calculate the equation of state and the neutron star mass-radius relation of an infinite systems of neutrons and $Λ$ particles by using the auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm. We find that the three-body hyperon-nucleon interaction plays a fundamental role in the softening of the equation of state and for the consequent reduction of the predicted maximum mass. We have considered two different models of three-body force that successfully describe the binding energy of medium mass hypernuclei. Our results indicate that they give dramatically different results on the maximum mass of neutron stars, not necessarily incompatible with the recent observation of very massive neutron stars. We conclude that stronger constraints on the hyperon-neutron force are necessary in order to properly assess the role of hyperons in neutron stars.

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arXiv2014

From hypernuclei to the Inner Core of Neutron Stars: A Quantum Monte Carlo Study

Auxiliary Field Diffusion Monte Carlo (AFDMC) calculations have been employed to revise the interaction between $Λ$-hyperons and nucleons in hypernuclei. The scheme used to describe the interaction, inspired by the phenomenological Argonne-Urbana forces, is the $ΛN+ΛNN$ potential firstly introduced by Bodmer, Usmani et al.. Within this framework, we performed calculations on light and medium mass hypernuclei in order to assess the extent of the repulsive contribution of the three-body part. By tuning this contribution in order to reproduce the $Λ$ separation energy in $^5_Λ$He and $^{17}_{~Λ}$O, experimental findings are reproduced over a wide range of masses. Calculations have then been extended to $Λ$-neutron matter in order to derive an analogous of the symmetry energy to be used in determining the equation of state of matter in the typical conditions found in the inner core of neutron stars.

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arXiv2014

Accurate determination of the interaction between $Λ$ hyperons and nucleons from auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo calculations

An accurate assessment of the hyperon-nucleon interaction is of great interest in view of recent observations of very massive neutron stars. The challenge is to build a realistic interaction that can be used over a wide range of masses and in infinite matter starting from the available experimental data on the binding energy of light hypernuclei. To this end, accurate calculations of the hyperon binding energy in a hypernucleus are necessary. We present a quantum Monte Carlo study of $Λ$ and $ΛΛ$ hypernuclei up to $A=91$. We investigate the contribution of two- and three-body $Λ$-nucleon forces to the $Λ$ binding energy. Ground state energies are computed solving the Schrödinger equation for non-relativistic baryons by means of the auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm extended to the hypernuclear sector. We show that a simple adjustment of the parameters of the $ΛNN$ three-body force yields a very good agreement with available experimental data over a wide range of hypernuclear masses. In some cases no experiments have been performed yet, and we give new predictions. The newly fitted $ΛNN$ force properly describes the physics of medium-heavy $Λ$ hypernuclei, correctly reproducing the saturation property of the hyperon separation energy.

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arXiv2013

From Hypernuclei to Hypermatter: a Quantum Monte Carlo Study of Strangeness in Nuclear Structure and Nuclear Astrophysics

The work presents the recent developments in Quantum Monte Carlo calculations for nuclear systems including strange degrees of freedom. The Auxiliary Field Diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm has been extended to the strange sector by the inclusion of the lightest among the hyperons, the $Λ$ particle. This allows to perform detailed calculations for $Λ$ hypernuclei, providing a microscopic framework for the study of the hyperon-nucleon interaction in connection with the available experimental information. The extension of the method for strange neutron matter, put the basis for the first Diffusion Monte Carlo analysis of the hypernuclear medium, with the derivation of neutron star observables of great astrophysical interest.

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arXiv2011

Recent progress on the accurate determination of the equation of state of neutron and nuclear matter

The problem of accurately determining the equation of state of nuclear and neutron matter at density near and beyond saturation is still an open challenge. In this paper we will review the most recent progress made by means of Quantum Monte Carlo calculations, which are at present the only ab-inito method capable to treat a sufficiently large number of particles to give meaningful estimates depending only on the choice of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. In particular, we will discuss the introduction of density-dependent interactions, the study of the temperature dependence of the equation of state, and the possibility of accurately studying the effect of the onset of hyperons by developing an accurate hyperon-nucleon and hyperon-nucleon-nucleon interaction.

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