Shape of atomic nuclei in heavy ion collisions

Abstract

In the hydrodynamic model description of heavy ion collisions, the final-state anisotropic flow $v_n$ are linearly related to the strength of the multi-pole shape of the distribution of nucleons in the transverse plane $\varepsilon_n$, $v_n\propto \varepsilon_n$. The $\varepsilon_n$, for $n=1,2,3,4$, are sensitive to the shape of the colliding ions, characterized by the quadrupole $β_2$, octupole $β_3$ and hexadecapole $β_4$ deformations. This sensitivity is investigated analytically and also in a Monte Carlo Glauber model. One observes a robust linear relation, $\langle\varepsilon_n^2\rangle = a_n'+b_n'β_n^2$, for events in a fixed centrality. The $\langle\varepsilon_1^2\rangle$ has a contribution from $β_3$ and $β_4$, and $\langle\varepsilon_3^2\rangle$ from $β_4$. In the ultra-central collisions, there are little cross contributions between $β_2$ and $\varepsilon_3$ and between $β_3$ and $\varepsilon_2$, but clear cross contributions are present in non-central collisions. Additionally, $\langle\varepsilon_n^2\rangle$ are insensitive to non-axial shape parameters such as the triaxiality. This is good news because the measurements of $v_2$, $v_3$ and $v_4$ can be used to constrain simultaneously the $β_2$, $β_3$, and $β_4$ values. This is best done by comparing two colliding ions with similar mass numbers and therefore nearly identical $a_n'$, to obtain simple equation that relates the $β_n$ of the two species. This opens up the possibility to map the shape of the atomic nuclei at a timescale ($<10^{-24}$s) much shorter than probed by low-energy nuclear structure physics ($<10^{-21}$s), which ultimately may provide information complementary to those obtained in the nuclear structure experiments.