Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 1009.1812

Virial Expansion of the Nuclear Equation of State

Abstract

We study the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter as function of density. We expand the energy per particle (E/A) of symmetric infinite nuclear matter in powers of the density to take into account 2,3,. . .,N-body forces. New EOS are proposed by fitting ground state properties of nuclear matter (binding energy, compressibility and pressure) and assuming that at high densities a second order phase transition to the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) occurs. The latter phase transition is due to symmetry breaking at high density from nuclear matter (locally color white) to the QGP (globally color white). In the simplest implementation of a second order phase transition we calculate the critical exponent ? by using Landau's theory of phase transition. We find ? = 3. Refining the properties of the EOS near the critical point gives ? = 5 in agreement with experimental results. We also discuss some scenarios for the EOS at finite temperatures.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Ruslan Magana, Hua Zhenga, Aldo Bonasera. 2010-09-09. Virial Expansion of the Nuclear Equation of State. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0218301312500061

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Application of the Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov Theory to WIMP-Nucleus Interactions in 40Ar

WIMP scattering from 40Ar is investigated using a self-consistent Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) approach. Nuclear form factors relevant to dark matter direct detection are calculated from the resulting one-body density matrix elements and compared with shell-model predictions. Good agreement is found for the spin-independent response, while significant differences are observed for the spin-orbit response due to variations in single-particle occupancies. The effects of particle-number projection are shown to be small for 40Ar. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of certain dark matter response channels to the underlying nuclear structure model and establish a framework for extending mean-field calculations to nuclei beyond the reach of large-scale shell-model studies.

nucl-th

Breakdown of the Plane-Wave Trojan Horse Analysis of the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ Fusion Reaction: Critical Role of Coulomb Distortions

Recently, a new Trojan Horse Method (THM) measurement of carbon-carbon fusion was reported by Li \textit{et al.} [Phys. Lett. B (2026) 140675]. The purpose of the present work is to demonstrate the breakdown of the plane-wave approximation used in the analysis of these data and the critical role of Coulomb distortions in the initial and final states. The reaction mechanism underlying the THM analysis of the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion reaction using the $^{16}\mathrm{O}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}\to α_s+α+{}^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction is investigated. Particular attention is paid to the spectator momentum distribution and to the dependence of the THM reaction amplitude on the relative carbon-carbon energy $E$. It is demonstrated that agreement with the measured spectator momentum distribution does not by itself validate the plane-wave approximation. Although the experimental momentum distribution can be reproduced, inclusion of Coulomb distortions in both the initial and final channels leads to an energy dependence of the THM amplitude that is completely different from the plane-wave result. Consequently, the energy dependence of the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion cross section extracted from the THM data can be strongly distorted by the plane-wave treatment. It is concluded that the astrophysical factor extracted in the plane-wave analysis cannot be regarded as reliable and may lead to misleading conclusions concerning the low-energy $^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion reaction.

nucl-th