Constraining the density dependence of the symmetry energy in the nuclear equation of state using heavy ion beams

✍ Scribed by D.V. Shetty; S.J. Yennello; G.A. Souliotis

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 296 KB
• Volume: 261
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0168-583X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2007.04.138

✦ Synopsis

The density dependence of the symmetry energy in the equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter (N/Z > 1) is important for understanding the structure of systems as diverse as the atomic nuclei and neutron stars. Due to a lack of understanding of the basic nucleon-nucleon interaction for matter that is highly asymmetric and at non-normal nuclear density, this very important quantity has remained largely unconstrained. Recent studies using beams from the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&M University constrain the density dependence of the symmetry energy. A dependence of the form E sym (q) = C(q/q o ) c , where C = 31.6 MeV and c = 0.69, is obtained. Their implications to both astrophysical and nuclear physics studies are discussed.