arXiv subjects

E. Friedman

Publications and source records attributed to E. Friedman.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Search for Sources of High Energy Neutrons with Four Years of Data from the IceTop Detector

IceTop is an air shower array located on the Antarctic ice sheet at the geographic South Pole. IceTop can detect an astrophysical flux of neutrons from Galactic sources as an excess of cosmic ray air showers arriving from the source direction. Neutrons are undeflected by the Galactic magnetic field and can typically travel 10 ($E$ / PeV) pc before decay. Two searches are performed using 4 years of the IceTop dataset to look for a statistically significant excess of events with energies above 10 PeV ($10^{16}$ eV) arriving within a small solid angle. The all-sky search method covers from -90$^{\circ}$ to approximately -50$^{\circ}$ in declination. No significant excess is found. A targeted search is also performed, looking for significant correlation with candidate sources in different target sets. This search uses a higher energy cut (100 PeV) since most target objects lie beyond 1 kpc. The target sets include pulsars with confirmed TeV energy photon fluxes and high-mass X-ray binaries. No significant correlation is found for any target set. Flux upper limits are determined for both searches, which can constrain Galactic neutron sources and production scenarios.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

$K^+$-nucleus potentials from $K^+$-nucleon amplitudes

Optical potentials for $K^+$-nucleus interactions are constructed from $K^+$-nucleon amplitudes using recently developed algorithm based on $K^+$-N kinematics in the nuclear medium. With the deep penetration of $K^+$ mesons into the nucleus at momenta below 800~MeV/c it is possible to test this approach with greater sensitivity than hitherto done with $K^-$ and pions. The energy-dependence of experimental reaction and total cross sections on nuclei is better reproduced with this approach compared to fixed-energy amplitudes. The inclusion of Pauli correlations in the medium also improves the agreement between calculation and experiment. The absolute scale of the cross sections is reproduced very well for $^6$Li but for C, Si and Ca calculated cross sections are (23$\pm4$)\% smaller than experiment, in agreement with earlier analyses. Two phenomenological models that produce such missing strength suggest that the imaginary part of the potential needs about 40\% enhancement.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2015

Antinucleon-nucleus interaction near threshold from the Paris $\bar NN$ potential

A general algorithm for handling the energy dependence of hadron-nucleon amplitudes in the nuclear medium, consistently with their density dependence, has been recently applied to antikaons, eta mesons and pions interacting with nuclei. Here we apply this approach to antiprotons below threshold, analyzing experimental results for antiprotonic atoms across the periodic table. It is also applied to antiproton and antineutron interaction with nuclei up to 400 MeV/c, comparing with elastic scattering and annihilation cross sections. The underlying $\bar pN$ scattering amplitudes are derived from the Paris $\bar NN$ potential, including modifications in the medium. Emphasis is placed on the role of the $P$-wave amplitudes with respect to the repulsive $S$-wave amplitudes.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2015

Few-body calculations of $η$-nuclear quasibound states

We report on precise hyperspherical-basis calculations of $ηNN$ and $ηNNN$ quasibound states, using energy dependent $ηN$ interaction potentials derived from coupled-channel models of the $S_{11}$ $N^{\ast}(1535)$ nucleon resonance. The $ηN$ attraction generated in these models is too weak to generate a two-body bound state. No $ηNN$ bound-state solution was found in our calculations in models where Re $a_{ηN}\lesssim 1$ fm, with $a_{ηN}$ the $ηN$ scattering length, covering thereby the majority of $N^{\ast}(1535)$ resonance models. A near-threshold $ηNNN$ bound-state solution, with $η$ separation energy of less than 1 MeV and width of about 15 MeV, was obtained in the 2005 Green-Wycech model where Re $a_{ηN}\approx 1$ fm. The role of handling self consistently the subthreshold $ηN$ interaction is carefully studied.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2015

Low-Energy Antinucleon-Nucleus Interaction Revisited

Annihilation cross sections of antiprotons and antineutrons on the proton between 50 and 400 MeV/c show Coulomb focusing below 200 MeV/c and almost no charge-dependence above 200 MeV/c. Similar comparisons for heavier targets are not possible for lack of overlap between nuclear targets studied with $\bar p$ and $\bar n$ beams. Interpolating between $\bar p$-nucleus annihilation cross sections with the help of an optical potential to compare with $\bar n$-nucleus annihilation cross sections reveal unexpected features of Coulomb interactions in the latter. Direct comparisons between $\bar n$-nucleus and $\bar p$-nucleus annihilations at very low energies could be possible if $\bar p$ cross sections are measured on the same targets and at the same energies as the available cross sections for $\bar n$. Such measurements may be feasible in the foreseeable future.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Testing in-medium $πN$ dynamics on pionic atoms

A general algorithm for handling the energy dependence of meson-nucleon amplitudes in the nuclear medium has been recently applied to antikaons and to eta mesons. Here we test this approach on $πN$ amplitudes in pionic atoms where direct comparison can be made with ample experimental results. Applying this algorithm to a large-scale fit of 100 pionic-atom data points across the periodic table, which also include the `deeply-bound' states in Sn and Pb, reaffirms earlier conclusions on the density-dependent renormalization of the $πN$ threshold isovector amplitude $b_1$, or equivalently the renormalization of the pion decay constant $f_π$ in the nuclear medium.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

In-medium Eta-Nucleon interactions and Eta nuclear bound states

The in-medium Eta-N interaction near and below threshold is constructed from a free-space chirally-inspired meson-baryon coupled-channel model that captures the physics of the N(1535) baryon resonance. Nucleon Pauli blocking and hadron self-energies are accounted for. The resulting energy dependent in-medium interaction is used in self-consistent dynamical calculations of Eta nuclear bound states. Narrow states of width about or less than 2 MeV are found across the periodic table, beginning with A=10, for this in-medium coupled-channel interaction model. The binding energy of the 1s-Eta state increases with A, reaching a value of B(1s-Eta) about 15 MeV. The implications of our self-consistency procedure are discussed with respect to procedures used in other works.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Antineutron and antiproton nuclear interactions at very low energies

Experimental annihilation cross sections of antineutrons and antiprotons at very low energies are compared. Features of Coulomb focusing are observed for $\bar p$ annihilation on protons. Direct comparisons for heavier targets are not straightforward due to lack of overlap between targets and energies of experimental results for $\bar p$ and $\bar n$. Nevertheless, the annihilation cross sections for $\bar n$ on nuclei cannot be described by an optical potential that fits well all the available data on $\bar p$ interactions with nuclei. Comparisons made with the help of this potential reveal in the $\bar n$ data features similar to Coulomb focusing. Direct comparisons between $\bar n$ and $\bar p$ annihilations at very low energies would be possible when $\bar p$ cross sections are measured on the same targets and at the same energies as the available cross sections for $\bar n$. Such measurements may be possible in the foreseeable future.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Eta-nuclear bound states revisited

The strong energy dependence of the s-wave eta-N scattering amplitude at and below threshold, as evident in coupled-channels K-matrix fits and chiral models that incorporate the S11 N*(1535) resonance, is included self-consistently in eta-nuclear bound-state calculations. This approach, applied recently in calculations of kaonic atoms and Kbar-nuclear bound states, is found to impose stronger constraints than ever on the onset of eta-nuclear binding, with a minimum value of Re a_{eta N} approximately 0.9 fm required to accommodate an eta-4He bound state. Binding energies and widths of eta-nuclear states are calculated within several underlying eta-N models for nuclei across the periodic table, including eta-25Mg for which some evidence was proposed in a recent COSY experiment.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Feasibility guidelines for kaonic-atom experiments with ultra-high-resolution X-ray spectrometry

Recent studies of strong interaction effects in kaonic atoms suggest that analysing so-called `lower' and `upper' levels in the same atom could separate one-nucleon absorption from multinucleon processes. The present work examines the feasibility of direct measurements of upper level widths in addition to lower level widths in future experiments, using superconducting microcalorimeter detectors. About ten elements are identified as possible candidates for such experiments, all of medium-weight and heavy nuclei. New experiments focused on achieving good accuracy for widths of such pairs of levels could contribute significantly to our knowledge of the $K^-$-nucleon interaction in the nuclear medium.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Kaonic atoms and in-medium K-N amplitudes II: interplay between theory and phenomenology

A microscopic kaonic-atom optical potential $V^{(1)}_{K^-}$ is constructed, using the Ikeda-Hyodo-Weise NLO chiral $K^-N$ subthreshold scattering amplitudes constrained by the kaonic hydrogen SIDDHARTA measurement, and incorporating Pauli correlations within the Waas-Rho-Weise generalization of the Ericson-Ericson multiple-scattering approach. Good fits to kaonic atom data over the entire periodic table require additionally sizable $K^-NN$--motivated absorptive and dispersive phenomenological terms, in agreement with our former analysis based on a post-SIDDHARTA in-medium chirally-inspired NLO separable model by Cieplý and Smejkal. Such terms are included by introducing a phenomenological potential $V^{(2)}_{K^-}$ and coupling it self consistently to $V^{(1)}_{K^-}$. Properties of resulting kaonic atom potentials are discussed with special attention paid to the role of $K^-$-nuclear absorption and to the extraction of density-dependent amplitudes representing $K^-$ multi-nucleon processes.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2012

Neutron skins of $^{208}$Pb and $^{48}$Ca from pionic probes

The neutron skin of $^{208}$Pb has received considerable attention in recent years. A variety of strongly-interacting probes depict a rather consistent picture but pionic probes have not been referred to in this context. We present here neutron-skin values from pionic atoms and from total reaction cross sections of $π^+$ between 0.7 and 2 GeV/c which fit well into the picture. In addition we show that a neutron skin for $^{48}$Ca can be obtained from existing data on pionic atoms and the result agrees with pion scattering experiments and with the scattering of $α$ particles.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2012

Kaonic atoms and in-medium $K^-N$ amplitudes

Recent work on the connection between in-medium subthreshold $K^-N$ amplitudes and kaonic atom potentials is updated by using a next to leading order chirally motivated coupled channel separable interaction model that reproduces $\bar KN$ observables at low energies, including the very recent SIDDHARTA results for the atomic $K^-$-hydrogen $1s$ level shift and width. The corresponding $K^-$-nucleus potential is evaluated self-consistently within a single-nucleon approach and is critically reviewed with respect to empirical features of phenomenological optical potentials. The need to supplement the single-nucleon based approach with multi-nucleon interactions is demonstrated by showing that additional empirical absorptive and dispersive terms, beyond the reach of chirally motivated $K^-$-nucleus potentials, are required in order to achieve good agreement with the bulk of the data on kaonic atoms.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Future directions in kaonic atom physics

Recent progress and open problems in kaonic atom physics are presented. A connection between phenomenological deep potentials and the underlying $K^-N$ interaction is established as well as the need for a theory for multinucleon absorption of kaons. $K^-$ absorption at rest to specific $Λ$ hypernuclei states is briefly discussed.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

K^- nuclear potentials from in-medium chirally motivated models

A self consistent scheme for constructing K^- nuclear optical potentials from subthreshold in-medium Kbar-N s-wave scattering amplitudes is presented and applied to analysis of kaonic atoms data and to calculations of K^- quasibound nuclear states. The amplitudes are taken from a chirally motivated meson-baryon coupled-channel model, both at the Tomozawa-Weinberg leading order and at the next to leading order. Typical kaonic atoms potentials are characterized by a real part -Re V(K^-;chiral)=(85+/-5) MeV at nuclear matter density, in contrast to half this depth obtained in some derivations based on in-medium Kbar-N threshold amplitudes. The moderate agreement with data is much improved by adding complex rho- and rho^2-dependent phenomenological terms, found to be dominated by rho^2 contributions that could represent Kbar-NN -> YN absorption and dispersion, outside the scope of meson-baryon chiral models. Depths of the real potentials are then near 180 MeV. The effects of p-wave interactions are studied and found secondary to those of the dominant s-wave contributions. The in-medium dynamics of the coupled-channel model is discussed and systematic studies of K^- quasibound nuclear states are presented.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Nuclear medium effects from hadronic atoms

The state of the art in the study of pionic, kaonic and Sigmionic atoms, along with the in-medium nuclear interactions deduced for these hadrons, is reviewed. A special emphasis is placed on recent developments in antikaon-nuclear physics, where a strongly attractive density dependent antikaon-nuclear potential of order 150-200 MeV in nuclear matter emerges by fitting K^- atom data. This has interesting repercussions on antikaon quasibound nuclear states, on the composition of strange hadronic matter and on kaon condensation in self bound hadronic systems.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Chirally motivated K^- nuclear potentials

In-medium subthreshold KbarN scattering amplitudes calculated within a chirally motivated meson-baryon coupled-channel model are used self consistently to confront K^- atom data across the periodic table. Substantially deeper K^- nuclear potentials are obtained compared to the shallow potentials derived in some approaches from threshold amplitudes, with Re V_{chiral} = -(85+/-5) MeV at nuclear matter density. When KbarNN contributions are incorporated phenomenologically, a very deep K^- nuclear potential results, Re V_{chiral+phen.} = -(180+/-5) MeV, in agreement with density dependent potentials obtained in purely phenomenological fits to the data. Self consistent dynamical calculations of K^- nuclear quasibound states are reported and discussed.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Constraints on the threshold K- nuclear potential from FINUDA (stopped K-, pi-) hypernuclear spectra

1s(Lambda) hypernuclear formation rates in stopped K- reactions on several p-shell targets are derived from hypernuclear formation spectra measured recently by the FINUDA Collaboration and are compared with calculated 1s(Lambda) formation rates based on a KbarN coupled channels chiral model. The calculated rates are about 15% of the derived rates, depending weakly on the depth of the threshold K- nuclear potential. The A dependence of the calculated rates is in fair agreement with that of the derived rates, showing a slight preference for a deep density dependent K- nuclear potential of depth (150-200) MeV at nuclear matter density over a shallow potential of depth about 50 MeV. These new features originate from a substantial energy and density dependence found for the in-medium subthreshold (K- n --> pi- Lambda) branching ratio that serves as input to the K- capture at rest calculations.

nucl-th↗