arXiv subjects

Marcus Bleicher

Publications and source records attributed to Marcus Bleicher.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

In-medium Spectral Functions in a Coarse-Graining Approach

We use a coarse-graining approach to extract local thermodynamic properties from simulations with a microscopic transport model by averaging over a large ensemble of events. Setting up a grid of small space-time cells and going into each cell's rest frame allows to determine baryon and energy density. With help of an equation of state we get the corresponding temperature $T$ and baryon-chemical potential $μ_{\mathrm{B}}$. These results are used for the calculation of the thermal dilepton yield. We apply and compare two different spectral functions for the $ρ$ meson, firstly a calculation from hadronic many-body theory and secondly a calculation from experimental scattering amplitudes. The results obtained with our approach are compared to measurements of the NA60 Collaboration. A relatively good description of the data is achieved with both spectral functions. However, the hadronic many-body calculation is found to be closer to the experimental data with regard to the in-medium broadening of the spectral shape.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Dilepton Production in Transport-based Approaches

We investigate dilepton production in transport-based approaches and show that the baryon couplings of the $ρ$ meson represent the most important ingredient for understanding the measured dilepton spectra. At SIS energies, the baryon resonances naturally play a major role and affect already the vacuum spectra via Dalitz-like contributions, which can be captured well in transport simulations. Recent pion-beam measurements at GSI will help to constrain the properties of the involved resonances further.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Charmonium production in $\bar p$-induced reactions on nuclei

The production of charmonia in the antiproton-nucleus reactions at $p_{\rm lab}=3-10$ GeV/c is studied within the Glauber model and the generalized eikonal approximation. The main reaction channel is charmonium formation in an antiproton-proton collision. The target mass dependence of the charmonium transparency ratio allows to determine the charmonium-nucleon cross section. The polarization effects in the production of $χ_{c2}$ states are evaluated.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Dilepton Production in Transport-based Approaches

We investigate dilepton production in transport-based approaches and show that the baryon couplings of the $ρ$ meson represent the most important ingredient for understanding the measured dilepton spectra. At low energies (of a few GeV), the baryon resonances naturally play a larger role and affect already the vacuum spectra via Dalitz-like contributions, which can be captured well in an on-shell-transport scheme. At higher energies, the baryons mostly affect the in-medium self energy of the $ρ$, which is harder to tackle in transport models and requires advanced techniques.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Anomalous hydrodynamics kicks neutron stars

Observations show that, at the beginning of their existence, neutron stars are accelerated briskly to velocities of up to $1000$ km/s. We discuss possible mechanisms contributing to these kicks in a systematic effective-field-theory framework. Anomalies of the underlying microscopic theory result in chiral transport terms in the hydrodynamic description, and we identify these as explanation for the drastic acceleration. In the presence of vorticity or a magnetic field, the chiral transport effects cause neutrino emission along the respective axes. In typical scenarios, the transport effect due to the magnetic field turns out to be strong enough to explain the kicks. Mixed gauge-gravitational anomalies enter in a distinct way, and we also discuss their implications.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Deep sub-threshold $Ξ$ and $Λ$ production in nuclear collisions with the UrQMD transport model

We present results on deep sub threshold hyperon production in nuclear collisions, with the UrQMD transport model. Introducing anti-kaon+baryon and hyperon+hyperon strangeness exchange reactions we obtain a good description of experimental data on single strange hadron production in Ar+KCl reactions at $E_{lab}=1.76$ A GeV. We find that the hyperon strangeness exchange is the dominant process contributing to the $Ξ^-$ yield, however remains short of explaining the $Ξ^-/Λ$ ratio measured with the HADES experiment. We also discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy with previous studies and the experimental results, finding that many details of the transport simulation may have significant effects on the final $Ξ^-$ yield.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Formation of droplets with high baryon density at the QCD phase transition in expanding matter

We consider the (3+1) dimensional expansion and cooling of the chirally-restored and deconfined matter at finite net-baryon densities as expected in heavy-ion collisions at moderate energies. In our approach, we consider chiral fields and the Polyakov loop as dynamical variables coupled to a medium represented by a quark-antiquark fluid. The interaction between the fields and the fluid leads to dissipation and noise, which in turn affect the field fluctuations. We demonstrate how inhomogeneities in the net-baryon density may form during an evolution through the spinodal region of the first-order phase transition. For comparison, the dynamics of transition through the crossover and critical end point is also considered.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2014

Mini-review on mini-black holes from the mini-Big Bang

We review the basic ideas about man-made quantum mechanical black holes. We start by an overview of the proposed attempts to circumvent the hierarchy problem. We study the phenomenological implications of a strong gravity regime at the terascale and we focus on the issue of microscopic black holes. We provide the experimental bounds on relevant quantities as they emerge from major ongoing experiments. The experimental results exclude the production of black holes in collisions up to 8 TeV. We provide some possible explanations of such negative results in view of forthcoming investigations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Comparative study of RBE and cell survival fractions for $^{1}$H, $^{4}$He, $^{12}$C and $^{16}$O beams using Geant4 and Microdosimetric Kinetic model

Beams of $^{4}$He and $^{16}$O nuclei are considered for ion-beam cancer therapy as alternative options to protons and $^{12}$C nuclei. Spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) distributions of physical dose and relative biological effectiveness for 10% survival are calculated by means of our Geant4-based Monte Carlo model for Heavy Ion Therapy (MCHIT) and the modified microdosimetric kinetic model. The depth distributions of cell survival fractions are calculated for $^{1}$H, $^{4}$He, $^{12}$C and $^{16}$O for tissues with normal (HSG cells), low and high radiosensitivity. In each case the cell survival fractions were compared separately for the target volume, behind and in front of it. In the case of normal radiosensitivity $^{4}$He and $^{12}$C better spare tissues in the entrance channel compared to protons and $^{16}$O. The cell survival fractions calculated, respectively, for the entrance channel and target volume are similar for $^{4}$He and $^{12}$C. When it is important to spare healthy tissues located after the distal edge of the SOBP plateau, $^{4}$He can be recommended due to reduced nuclear fragmentation of these projectiles. No definite advantages of $^{16}$O with respect to $^{12}$C were found, with the except of an enhanced impact of these heavier projectiles on radioresistant tumors.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2013

Dilepton Production in Transport Calculations and Coarse-Grained Dynamics

We present transport calculations with the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics approach (UrQMD) for dilepton spectra at SIS energies. While we obtain a good agreement with experiment for elementary reactions, in heavy-ion collisions an excess in the invariant mass spectra is observed which cannot be described by the model. As the pure transport calculations do not include any in-medium effects and are limited to hadronic degrees of freedom, we present an alternative approach that uses coarse-grained output from transport calculations to determine thermal dilepton emission rates. For this we apply the medium-modified $ρ$ spectral function by Eletsky et al. In a first exemplary comparison to data from the NA60 experiment we find that the coarse-graining approach gives reasonable results.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Microdosimetry spectra and RBE of H-1, He-4, Li-7 and C-12 nuclei in water studied with Geant4

A Geant4-based Monte Carlo model for Heavy-Ion Therapy (MCHIT) is used to study radiation fields of H-1, He-4, Li-7 and C-12 beams with similar ranges (~160-180 mm) in water. Microdosimetry spectra are simulated for wall-less and walled Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPCs) placed outside or inside a phantom, as in experiments performed, respectively, at NIRS, Japan and GSI, Germany. The impact of fragmentation reactions on microdosimetry spectra is investigated for He-4, Li-7 and C-12, and contributions from nuclear fragments of different charge are evaluated for various TEPC positions in the phantom. The microdosimetry spectra measured on the beam axis are well described by MCHIT, in particular, in the vicinity of the Bragg peak. However, the simulated spectra for the walled TEPC far from the beam axis are underestimated. Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) of the considered beams is estimated using a modified microdosimetric-kinetic model. Calculations show a similar rise of the RBE up to 2.2-2.9 close to the Bragg peak for helium, lithium and carbon beams compared to the modest values of 1-1.2 at the plateau region. Our results suggest that helium and lithium beams are also promising options for cancer therapy.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2013

Hadron Formation in Relativistic Nuclear Collisions and the QCD Phase Diagram

We analyze hadrochemical freeze-out in central Pb+Pb collisions at CERN SPS and LHC energies. We determine the effects of baryon and antibaryon annihilation and/or regeneration occurring during the final cascade expansion stage of the collisions by deriving "survival factors" for each hadronic species and all energies considered by employing the UrQMD hybrid model. These survival factors are shown to resemble the pattern of data deviation from the statistical equilibrium calculations with the statistical model. We apply them in the SM data analysis, obtaining new points in the $T-μ_B$ plane which follow closely the parton-hadron phase boundary predicted by lattice QCD.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Correlated D-meson decays competing against thermal QGP dilepton radiation

The QGP that might be created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions is expected to radiate thermal dilepton radiation. However, this thermal dilepton radiation interferes with dileptons originating from hadron decays. In the invariant mass region between the $ϕ$ and $J/Ψ$ peak ($1\,$GeV$\lesssim M_{\ell^+ \ell^-} \lesssim 3 \,$GeV) the most substantial background of hadron decays originates from correlated D$\bar{\mathrm{D}}$-meson decays. We evaluate this background using a Langevin simulation for charm quarks. As background medium we utilize the well-tested UrQMD-hybrid model. The required drag and diffusion coefficients are taken from a resonance approach. The decoupling of the charm quarks from the hot medium is performed at a temperature of $130\,$MeV and as hadronization mechanism a coalescence approach is chosen. This model for charm quark interactions with the medium has already been successfully applied to the study of the medium modification and the elliptic flow at FAIR, RHIC and LHC energies. In this proceeding we present our results for the dilepton radiation from correlated D$\bar{\mathrm{D}}$ decays at RHIC energy in comparison to PHENIX measurements in the invariant mass range between 1 and 3 GeV using different interaction scenarios. These results can be utilized to estimate the thermal QGP radiation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Dileptons from correlated D- and $\bar{\text{D}}$-meson decays in the invariant mass range of the QGP thermal radiation using the UrQMD hybrid model

Relativistic heavy-ion collisions produce a hot and dense thermalized medium, that is expected to emit thermal radiation in form of dileptons. These dileptons are not affected by the strong force and are therefore a clean probe for the possible creation of a Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). However, electroweak decays of open-charm mesons are expected to induce a substantial background in the invariant mass region between the $ϕ$ and $J/Ψ$ peak ($1\,\text{GeV} \lesssim M_{\ell^+ \ell^-} \lesssim 3 \,\text{GeV}$) of the thermal QGP radiation. To evaluate this background radiation we apply a Langevin approach for the transport of charm quarks in the UrQMD (hydrodynamics + Boltzmann) hybrid model. Due to the inclusion of event-by-event fluctuations and a full (3+1)-dimensional hydrodynamic evolution, the UrQMD hybrid approach provides a more realistic model for the evolution of the matter produced in heavy ion collisions as compared to simple homogeneous fireball expansions usually employed before. As drag and diffusion coefficients we use a resonance approach for elastic heavy-quark scattering and assume a decoupling temperature of the charm quarks from the hot medium of $130\,\text{MeV}$. For the hadronization of the charm quarks we employ a coalescence approach at the decoupling temperature from the medium. In this letter we present our calculations of the D-meson correlations and the invariant mass spectra of the dilepton decays in heavy-ion collisions at FAIR, RHIC, and LHC energies using different interaction scenarios.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Elliptic flow and nuclear modification factors of D-mesons at FAIR in a Hybrid-Langevin approach

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at the Facility for Anti-proton and Ion Research (FAIR) will provide new possibilities for charm-quark ($D$-meson) observables in heavy-ion collisions at low collision energies and high baryon densities. To predict the collective flow and nuclear modification factors of charm quarks in this environment, we apply a Langevin approach for the transport of charm quarks in the UrQMD (hydrodynamics + Boltzmann) hybrid model. Due to the inclusion of event-by-event fluctuations and a full (3+1) dimensional hydrodynamical evolution, the UrQMD hybrid approach provides a realistic evolution of the matter produced in heavy-ion collisions. As drag and diffusion coefficients we use a resonance approach for elastic heavy-quark scattering and assume a decoupling temperature of the charm quarks from the hot medium of $130\, \MeV$. Hadronization of the charm quarks to $D$-mesons by coalescence is included. Since the initial charm-quark distribution at FAIR is unknown, we utilize two different initial charm-quark distributions in our approach to estimate the uncertainty of these predictions. We present calculations of the nuclear modification factor, $R_{AA}$, as well as for the elliptic flow, $v_2$, in Pb+Pb collisions at $E_{lab}=25\,\text{AGeV}$. The different medium modifications of $D$-mesons and $\bar{D}$-mesons at high baryon-chemical potential are explored by modified drag- and diffusion-coefficients using the corresponding fugacity factor. Here we find a considerably larger medium modification for $\bar{\mathrm{D}}$- than for $D$-mesons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Fluid dynamics near the QCD critical point

We present a fully dynamical model to study the chiral and deconfinement transition of QCD simultaneously. The quark degrees of freedom constitute a heat bath in local equilibrium for both order parameters, the sigma field and a dynamical Polyakov loop. The nonequilibrium evolution of these fields is described by Langevin equations including dissipation and noise. In several quench scenarios we are able to observe a delay in the relaxation times near the transition temperature for a critical point as well as a first-order phase transition scenario. During the hydrodynamical expansion of a hot quark fluid we find a strong enhancement of thermal fluctuations at the first-order transition compared to a scenario with a critical point.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2013

Microdosimetry of radiation field from therapeutic C-12 beam in water: a study with Geant4 toolkit

We model the responses of Tissue-Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPC) to radiation fields of therapeutic C-12 beams in a water phantom and to quasi-monoenergetic neutrons in a PMMA phantom. Simulations are performed with the Monte Carlo model for Heavy Ion Therapy (MCHIT) based on the Geant4 toolkit. The shapes of the calculated lineal energy spectra agree well with measurements in both cases. The influence of fragmentation reactions on the TEPC response to a narrow pencil-like beam with its width smaller than the TEPC diameter is investigated by Monte Carlo modeling. It is found that total lineal energy spectra are not very sensitive to the choice of the nuclear fragmentation model used. The calculated frequency-mean lineal energy y_f differs from the data on the axis of a therapeutic beam by less than 10% and by 10-20% at other TEPC positions. The validation of MCHIT with neutron beams gives us confidence in estimating the contributions to lineal energy spectra due to secondary neutrons produced in water by C-12 nuclei. As found, the neutron contribution at 10 cm distance from the beam axis amounts to ~ 50% close the entrance to the phantom and decreases to ~ 25% at the depth of the Bragg peak and beyond it. The presented results can help in evaluating biological out-of-field doses in carbon-ion therapy.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2013

Production and evaporation of Planck scale black holes at the LHC

We review the phenomenology of mini black holes at colliders in light of the latest data from the LHC. By improving the conventional production cross-section, we show that the current non-observation of black hole signals can be explained in terms of quantum gravity effects. In the most optimistic case, black hole production could take place at a scale slightly above the LHC design energy. We also analyse possible new signatures of quantum-corrected Planck-scale black holes: in contrast to the semiclassical scenario the emission would take place in terms of soft particles mostly on the brane.

hep-th↗