arXiv subjects

Lie-Wen Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Lie-Wen Chen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Probing the internal structures of $pΩ$ and $ΩΩ$ with their production at the LHC

The strange dibaryons $pΩ$ ($^5\rm{S}_2$) and $ΩΩ$ ($^1\rm{S}_0$) are likely bound, existing either in molecular states like the deuteron or as more exotic compact six-quark states. Here, we investigate the production of these two dibaryons in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=2.76 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) within a covariant coalescence model, which employs a blast-wave-like parametrization for the phase-space configurations of constituent particles at freeze-out. For the molecular states, the $pΩ$ and $ΩΩ$ are produced via $p$-$Ω$ and $Ω$-$Ω$ coalescence, respectively, while for the six-quark states, they are formed through $uudsss$ and $ssssss$ coalescence. We find that the yield ratio $N_{pΩ}/N_Ω$ and $N_{ΩΩ}/N_Ω$ have a distinct centrality dependence between the molecular and multi-quark states, thus offering a promising way for distinguishing the two states. Our results suggest that the measurements of $pΩ$ and $ΩΩ$ production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions can shed light on their internal structures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Extended Skyrme effective interactions for transport model and neutron stars

It is important to develop a unified theoretical framework to describe the nuclear experiments and astrophysical observations based on the same effective nuclear interactions. Based on the so-called Skyrme pseudopotential up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order, we construct a series of extended Skyrme interactions by modifying the density-dependent term and fitting the empirical nucleon optical potential up to above $1$ GeV, the empirical properties of isospin symmetric nuclear matter, the microscopic calculations of pure neutron matter and the properties of neutron stars from astrophysical observations. The modification of the density-dependent term in the extended Skyrme interactions follows the idea of Fermi momentum expansion and this leads to a highly flexible density behavior of the symmetry energy. In particular, the values of the density slope parameter $L$ of the symmetry energy for the new extended Skyrme interactions range from $L = -5$ MeV to $L = 125$ MeV by construction, to cover the large uncertainty of the density dependence of the symmetry energy. Furthermore, in order to consider the effects of isoscalar and isovector nucleon effective masses, we adjust the momentum dependency of the single-nucleon optical potential and the symmetry potential of these new extended Skyrme interactions and construct a parameter set family, by which we systematically study the impacts of the symmetry energy and the nucleon effective masses on the properties of nuclear matter and neutron stars. The new extended Skyrme interactions constructed in the present work will be useful to determine the equation of state of isospin asymmetric nuclear matter, especially the symmetry energy, as well as the nucleon effective masses and their isospin splitting, in transport model simulations for heavy-ion collisions, nuclear structure calculations and neutron star studies.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Baryon density dependence of viscosities of the quark-gluon plasma at hadronization

The $ϕ$ meson and $Ω$ baryon provide unique probes of the properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) at hadronization in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Using the quark recombination model with the quark phase-space information parameterized in a viscous blastwave, we perform Bayesian inference of the shear and bulk viscosities of the QGP at hadronization with a temperature of $T\sim 160$ MeV by analyzing the $ϕ$ and $Ω$ data in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 19.6-200 GeV and Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 2.76 TeV, corresponding to a baryon chemical potential variation from $μ_B\approx 0$ (at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}= 2.76$ TeV) to $200$ MeV (at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}= 19.6$ GeV). We find that the shear viscosity to enthalpy ratio $ηT/(ε+P)$ of the QGP at hadronization decreases as $μ_B$ increases, with $ηT/(ε+P)\approx 0.18$ at $μ_B=0$ and $ηT/(ε+P)\approx 0.08$ at $μ_B=200$ MeV, while the corresponding specific bulk viscosity is essentially constant with $ζT/(ε+ P)=0.02\sim 0.04$ for $μ_B<200$ MeV. Our results suggest that the QGP at hadronization ($T\sim 160$ MeV) with finite baryon density is more close to perfect fluid than that with zero baryon density.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Comparing pion production in transport simulations of heavy-ion collisions at $270A$ MeV under controlled conditions

Within the TMEP, we present a detailed study of the performance of different transport models in Sn+Sn collisions at $270A$ MeV, and put particular emphasis on the production of pions and $Δ$ resonances, which have been used as probes of the nuclear symmetry energy. We prescribe a common and rather simple physics model, and follow in detail the results of 4 BUU models and 6 QMD models. The nucleonic evolution of the collision and the nucleonic observables in these codes do not completely converge, but the differences among the codes can be understood as being due to several reasons: the basic differences between BUU and QMD models in the representation of the phase-space distributions, computational differences in the mean-field evaluation, and differences in the adopted strategies for the Pauli blocking in the collision integrals. For pionic observables, we find that a higher maximum density leads to an enhanced pion yield and a reduced $π^-/π^+$ yield ratio, while a more effective Pauli blocking generally leads to a slightly suppressed pion yield and an enhanced $π^-/π^+$ yield ratio. We specifically investigate the effect of the Coulomb force, and find that it increases the total $π^-/π^+$ yield ratio but reduces the ratio at high pion energies, although differences in its implementations do not have a dominating role in the differences among the codes. Taking into account only the results of codes that strictly follow the homework specifications, we find a convergence of the codes in the final charged pion yield ratio to a $1σ$ deviation of about $5\%$. However, the uncertainty is expected to be reduced to about $1.6\%$ if the same or similar strategies and ingredients, i.e., an improved Pauli blocking and calculation of the non-linear term in the mean-field potential, are similarly used in all codes.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Bayesian model averaging for nuclear symmetry energy from effective proton-neutron chemical potential difference of neutron-rich nuclei

The data-driven Bayesian model averaging is a rigorous statistical approach to combining multiple models for a unified prediction. Compared with the individual model, it provides more reliable information, especially for problems involving apparent model dependence. In this work, within both the non-relativistic Skyrme energy density functional and the nonlinear relativistic mean field model, the effective proton-neutron chemical potential difference $Δμ^*_{\rm{pn}}$ of neutron-rich nuclei is found to be strongly sensitive to the symmetry energy $E_{\rm{sym}}(ρ)$ around $2ρ_0/3$, with $ρ_0$ being the nuclear saturation density. Given discrepancies on the $Δμ^*_{\rm{pn}}$-$E_{\rm{sym}}(2ρ_0/3)$ correlations between the two models, we carry out a Bayesian model averaging analysis based on Gaussian process emulators to extract the symmetry energy around $2ρ_0/3$ from the measured $Δμ^*_{\rm{pn}}$ of 5 doubly magic nuclei $^{48}$Ca, $^{68}$Ni, $^{88}$Sr, $^{132}$Sn and $^{208}$Pb. Specifically, the $E_{\mathrm{sym}}(2ρ_0/3)$ is inferred to be $E_{\mathrm{sym}}(2ρ_0/3) = 25.6_{-1.3}^{+1.4}\,\mathrm{MeV}$ at $1σ$ confidence level. The obtained constraints on the $E_{\mathrm{sym}}(ρ)$ around $2ρ_0/3$ agree well with microscopic predictions and results from other isovector indicators.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2023

Bayesian Inference of Supernova Neutrino Spectra with Multiple Detectors

We implement the Bayesian inference to retrieve energy spectra of all neutrinos from a galactic core-collapse supernova (CCSN). To achieve high statistics and full sensitivity to all flavours of neutrinos, we adopt a combination of several reaction channels from different large-scale neutrino observatories, namely inverse beta decay on proton and elastic scattering on electron from Hyper-Kamiokande (Hyper-K), charged current absorption on Argon from Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and coherent elastic scattering on Lead from RES-NOVA. Assuming no neutrino oscillation or specific oscillation models, we obtain mock data for each channel through Poisson processes with the predictions, for a typical source distance of 10 kpc in our Galaxy, and then evaluate the probability distributions for all spectral parameters of theoretical neutrino spectrum model with Bayes' theorem. Although the results for either the electron-neutrinos or electron-antineutrinos reserve relatively large uncertainties (according to the neutrino mass hierarchy), a precision of a few percent (i.e., $\pm 1 \% \sim \pm 4 \%$ at a credible interval of $2 σ$) is achieved for primary spectral parameters (e.g., mean energy and total emitted energy) of other neutrino species. Moreover, the correlation coefficients between different parameters are computed as well and interesting patterns are found. Especially, the mixing-induced correlations are sensitive to the neutrino mass hierarchy, which potentially makes it a brand new probe to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy in the detection of galactic supernova neutrinos. Finally, we discuss the origin of such correlation patterns and perspectives for further improvement on our results.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Bayesian Inference of the Symmetry Energy and the Neutron Skin in $^{48}$Ca and $^{208}$Pb from CREX and PREX-2

Using the recent model-independent determination of the charge-weak form factor difference $ΔF_{\rm CW}$ in $^{48}$Ca and $^{208}$Pb by the CREX and PREX-2 collaborations together with some well-determined properties of doubly magic nuclei, we perform Bayesian inference of the symmetry energy $E_{\rm sym}(ρ)$ and the neutron skin thickness $Δr_{\rm np}$ of $^{48}$Ca and $^{208}$Pb within the Skyrme energy density functional (EDF). We find the inferred $E_{\rm sym}(ρ)$ and $Δr_{\rm np}$ separately from CREX and PREX-2 are compatible with each other at $90\%$ C.L., although they are inconsistent at $68.3\%$ C.L. with CREX (PREX-2) favoring a very soft (stiff) $E_{\rm sym}(ρ)$ and rather small (large) $Δr_{\rm np}$. By combining the CREX and PREX-2 data, we obtain a soft symmetry energy around saturation density $ρ_0$ and thinner $Δr_{\rm np}$ of $^{48}$Ca and $^{208}$Pb, which are found to be closer to the corresponding results from CREX alone, implying the PREX-2 is less effective to constrain the $E_{\rm sym}(ρ)$ and $Δr_{\rm np}$ due to its lower precision of $ΔF_{\rm CW}$. Furthermore, we find the Skyrme EDF results inferred by combining the CREX and PREX-2 data nicely agree with the measured dipole polarizabilities $α_D$ in $^{48}$Ca and $^{208}$Pb as well as the neutron matter equation of state from microscopic calculations. The implications of the inferred soft $E_{\rm sym}(ρ)$ around $ρ_0$ are discussed.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2023

Bayesian Inference of the Specific Shear and Bulk Viscosities of the Quark-Gluon Plasma at Crossover from $ϕ$ and $Ω$ Observables

Due to their weak final state interactions, the $ϕ$ meson and $Ω$ baryon provide unique probes of the properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) formed in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Using the quark recombination model with the quark phase-space information parameterized in a viscous blastwave, we study the transverse-momentum spectra and elliptic flows of $ϕ$ and $Ω$ in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 200$ GeV and Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV. The viscous blastwave includes non-equilibrium deformations of thermal distributions due to shear and bulk stresses and thus carries information on the specific shear viscosity $η/s$ and the specific bulk viscosity $ζ/s$ of the QGP. We perform a model-to-data comparison with Bayesian inference and simultaneously obtain $η/s=(2.08^{+1.10}_{-1.09})/4π$ and $ζ/s= 0.06^{+0.04}_{-0.04}$ at $90\%$ C.L. for the baryon-free QGP at crossover temperature of about $160$ MeV. Our work provides a novel approach to simultaneously determine the $η/s$ and $ζ/s$ of the QGP at hadronization.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2023

Kinetic approach of light-nuclei production in intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions

We develop a kinetic approach to the production of light nuclei up to mass number $A$ $\leqslant$ $4$ in intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions by including them as dynamic degrees of freedom. The conversions between nucleons and light nuclei during the collisions are incorporated dynamically via the breakup of light nuclei by a nucleon and their inverse reactions. We also include the Mott effect on light nuclei, i.e., a light nucleus would no longer be bound if the phase-space density of its surrounding nucleons is too large. With this kinetic approach, we obtain a reasonable description of the measured yields of light nuclei in central Au+Au collisions at energies of $0.25$ - $1.0A~\rm GeV$ by the FOPI collaboration. Our study also indicates that the observed enhancement of the $α$-particle yield at low incident energies can be attributed to a weaker Mott effect on the $α$-particle, which makes it more difficult to dissolve in nuclear medium, as a result of its much larger binding energy.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Supernova Neutrinos as a Precise Probe of Nuclear Neutron Skin

A precise and model-independent determination of the neutron distribution radius $R_{\rm n}$ and thus the neutron skin thickness $R_{\rm skin}$ of atomic nuclei is of fundamental importance in nuclear physics, particle physics and astrophysics but remains a big challenge in terrestrial labs. We argue that the nearby core-collapse supernova (CCSN) in our Galaxy may render a neutrino flux with unprecedentedly high luminosity, offering perfect opportunity to determine the $R_{\rm n}$ and $R_{\rm skin}$ through the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$ν$NS). We evaluate the potential of determining the $R_{\rm n}$ of lead (Pb) via CE$ν$NS with the nearby CCSN neutrinos in the RES-NOVA project which is designed to hunt CCSN neutrinos using an array of archaeological Pb based cryogenic detectors. We find that an ultimate precision of $\sim 0.1 \%$ for the $R_{\rm n}$ ($\sim 0.006$ fm for the $R_{\rm skin}$) of Pb can be achieved via RES-NOVA in the most optimistic case that the CCSN explosion were to occur at a distance of $\sim 1$ kpc from the Earth.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

High-order isospin-dependent surface tension contribution to the fourth-order symmetry energy of finite nuclei

The relation between the fourth-order symmetry energy $E_{\rm{sym,4}}(ρ_0)$ of nuclear matter at saturation density $ρ_0$ and its counterpart $a_{\rm{sym,4}}(A)$ of finite nuclei in a semiempirical nuclear mass formula is revisited by considering the high-order isospin-dependent surface tension contribution to the latter. We derive the full expression of $a_{\rm{sym,4}}(A)$, which includes explicitly the high-order isospin-dependent surface tension effects, and find that the value of $E_{\rm{sym,4}}(ρ_0)$ cannot be extracted from the measured $a_{\rm{sym,4}}(A)$ before the high-order surface tension is well constrained. Our results imply that a large $a_{\rm{sym,4}}(A)$ value of several MeVs obtained from analyzing nuclear masses can nicely agree with the empirical constraint of $E_{\rm{sym,4}}(ρ_0)\lesssim 2$ MeV from mean-field models and does not necessarily lead to a large $E_{\rm{sym,4}}(ρ_0)$ value of $\approx 20$ MeV obtained previously without considering the high-order surface tension. Furthermore, we also give the expression for the sixth-order symmetry energy $a_{\rm{sym,6}}(A)$ of finite nuclei, which involves more nuclear matter bulk parameters and the higher-order isospin-dependent surface tension.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

GW190814: Circumstantial Evidence for Up-Down Quark Star

Within a confining quark matter model which considers phenomenologically the quark confinement and asymptotic freedom as well as the chiral symmetry restoration and quark deconfinement at high baryon density, we find that if the up-down quark matter ($ud$QM) is more stable than nuclear matter and strange quark matter (SQM), the maximum mass of static quark stars with $ud$QM is $2.87M_{\odot}$ under agreement with both the constraints on star tidal deformability from gravitational wave signal GW170817 and the mass-radius of PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J0740+6620 measured by NICER. In contrast, the conventional strange quark star with the SQM that is more stable than nuclear matter while the nuclear matter is more stable than $ud$QM, has a maximum static mass of only $1.87M_{\odot}$ and its radius significantly deviates from NICER's constraint. Our results thus provide circumstantial evidence suggesting the recently reported GW190814's secondary component with a mass of $2.59^{+0.08}_{-0.09}M_\odot$ could be an up-down quark star.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

A theoretical overview of isospin and EOS effects in heavy-ion reactions at intermediate energies

The isospin dependence of in-medium nuclear effective interactions is a fundamental issue in nuclear physics and has broad ramifications in astrophysics. Its uncertainties, especially the difference of neutron-proton interactions in the isosinglet and isotriplet channels, affect significantly the density and momentum dependence of the isovector single-nucleon potential and nucleon-nucleon short-range correlation in neutron-rich matter. Consequently, the neutron-proton effective mass splitting and the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy are still rather uncertain. Heavy-ion reactions especially those involving rare isotopes is a useful tool for probing the isospin dependence of nuclear effective interactions through (1) the neutron-skin in coordinate and proton-skin in momentum of the initial state of colliding nuclei, (2) the density and momentum dependence of especially the isovector nuclear mean-field as well as (3) the isospin dependence of in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross sections. Observations of neutron stars especially since GW1710817 have also helped us significantly in understanding the isospin dependence of nuclear effective interactions. {\it We summarize here a review talk on these issues given at the 2021 International Workshop on multi-facets of EOS and Clustering. For details we refer the readers to the original publications and references therein}.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Constraints on the Symmetry Energy from PREX-II in the Multimessenger Era

The neutron skin thickness $Δr_{\rm{np}}$ of heavy nuclei is essentially determined by the symmetry energy density slope $L({ρ})$ at $ρ_c = 0.11~{\rm {fm}^{-3}}\approx 2/3ρ_0$ ($ρ_0$ is nuclear saturation density), roughly corresponding to the average density of finite nuclei. The PREX collaboration recently reported a model-independent extraction of $Δr^{208}_{\rm{np}} = 0.283 \pm 0.071$ fm for the $Δr_{\rm{np}}$ of $^{208}$Pb, suggesting a rather stiff symmetry energy $E_{\rm{sym}}({ρ})$ with $L({ρ_c }) \ge 52$ MeV. We show that the $E_{\rm{sym}}({ρ})$ cannot be too stiff and $L({ρ_c }) \le 73$ MeV is necessary to be compatible with (1) the ground-state properties and giant monopole resonances of finite nuclei, (2) the constraints on the equation of state of symmetric nuclear matter at suprasaturation densities from flow data in heavy-ion collisions, (3) the largest neutron star (NS) mass reported so far for PSR J0740+6620, (4) the NS tidal deformability extracted from gravitational wave signal GW170817 and (5) the mass-radius of PSR J0030+045 measured simultaneously by NICER. This allows us to obtain $52 \le L({ρ_c }) \le 73$ MeV and $0.212 \le Δr^{208}_{\rm{np}} \le 0.271$ fm, and further $E_{\rm{sym}}({ρ_0 }) = 34.3 \pm 1.7$ MeV, $L({ρ_0 }) = 83.1 \pm 24.7$ MeV, and $E_{\rm{sym}}({2ρ_0 }) = 62.8 \pm 15.9$ MeV. A number of critical implications on nuclear physics and astrophysics are discussed.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Spinodal Enhancement of Light Nuclei Yield Ratio in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

Using a relativistic transport model to describe the evolution of the quantum chromodynamic matter produced in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=3-200$ GeV, we study the effect of a first-order phase transition in the equation of state of this matter on the yield ratio $N_tN_p/ N_d^2$ ($tp/d^2$) of produced proton ($p$), deuteron ($d$), and triton ($t$). We find that the large density inhomogeneities generated by the spinodal instability during the first-order phase transition can survive the fast expansion of the subsequent hadronic matter and lead to an enhanced $tp/d^2$ in central collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=3-5$ GeV as seen in the experiments by the STAR Collaboration and the E864 Collaboration. However, this enhancement subsides with increasing collision centrality, and the resulting almost flat centrality dependence of $tp/d^2$ at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=3$ GeV can also be used as a signal for the first-order phase transition.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Transport Model Comparison Studies of Intermediate-Energy Heavy-Ion Collisions

Transport models are the main method to obtain physics information from low to relativistic-energy heavy-ion collisions. The Transport Model Evaluation Project (TMEP) has been pursued to test the robustness of transport model predictions in reaching consistent conclusions from the same type of physical model. Calculations under controlled conditions of physical input and set-up were performed with various participating codes. These included both calculations of nuclear matter in a box with periodic boundary conditions, and more realistic calculations of heavy-ion collisions. In this intermediate review, we summarize and discuss the present status of the project. We also provide condensed descriptions of the 26 participating codes, which contributed to some part of the project. These include the major codes in use today. We review the main results of the studies completed so far. They show, that in box calculations the differences between the codes can be well understood and a convergence of the results can be reached. These studies also highlight the systematic differences between the two families of transport codes, known as BUU and QMD type codes. However, when the codes were compared in full heavy-ion collisions using different physical models, as recently for pion production, they still yielded substantially different results. This calls for further comparisons of heavy-ion collisions with controlled models and of box comparisons of important ingredients, like momentum-dependent fields, which are currently underway. We often indicate improved strategies in performing transport simulations and thus provide guidance to code developers. Results of transport simulations of heavy-ion collisions from a given code will have more significance if the code can be validated against benchmark calculations such as the ones summarized in this review.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Effects of isoscalar- and isovector-scalar meson mixing on neutron star structure

Based on the accurately calibrated interaction FSUGold, we show that including isovector scalar $δ$ meson and its coupling to isoscalar scalar $σ$ meson in the relativistic mean field (RMF) model can soften the symmetry energy $E_{\rm{sym}}(n)$ at intermediate densities while stiffen the $E_{\rm{sym}}(n)$ at high densities. We find this new RMF model can be simultaneously compatible with (1) the constraints on the equation of state of symmetric nuclear matter at suprasaturation densities from flow data in heavy-ion collisions, (2) the neutron skin thickness of $^{208}$Pb from the PREX-II experiment, (3) the largest mass of neutron star (NS) reported so far from PSR J0740+6620, (4) the limit of $Λ_{1.4}\leq580$ for the dimensionless tidal deformability of the canonical 1.4$M_{\odot}$ NS from the gravitational wave signal GW170817, (5) the mass-radius relation of PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J0740+6620 measured by NICER, and thus remove the tension between PREX-II and GW170817 observed in the conventional RMF model.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2022

Measuring neutron skin by grazing isobaric collisions

Neutron skin thickness ($Δr_{\rm np}$) of nuclei and the inferred nuclear symmetry energy are of critical importance to nuclear physics and astrophysics. It is traditionally measured by nuclear processes with significant theoretical uncertainties. We recently proposed an indirect measurement of the $Δr_{\rm np}$ by charged hadron multiplicities in central isobaric collisions at relativistic energies, which are sensitive to nuclear densities. In this Letter, we propose a direct measurement of the $Δr_{\rm np}$ by using net-charge multiplicities in ultra-peripheral (grazing) collisions of those isobars, under the assumption that they are simple superimposition of nucleon-nucleon interactions. We illustrate this novel approach by the TRENTO and URQMD models.

nucl-th↗