Studies of the Equation of State of Asymmetric Nuclear Matter
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
This grant proposal is to study the equation of state (EOS) of asymmetric nuclear matter. The EOS is a fundamental property of nuclear matter and describes the relationships between the energy, pressure, temperature, density and isospin asymmetry for a nuclear system. It can be divided into a symmetric matter contribution that is independent of the isospin asymmetry and an isospin term (also known as the symmetry energy) that is proportional to the square of the asymmetry. The EOS of asymmetric nuclear matter is also a quantity of crucial significance in understanding the physics of isolated and binary neutron stars, type II supernovae and neutron star mergers. Strong synergies exist between the research programme of this grant proposal and several high priority STFC programmes in astrophysics which address the physics of neutron stars and gravitational waves, including Advanced LIGO/GEO600, LISA and SKA. Measurements of isoscalar collective vibrations, collective flow and kaon production in energetic nucleus-nucleus collisions have constrained the equation of state for symmetric matter for densities ranging from saturation density to five times saturation density. However, the EOS of asymmetric matter has comparatively few experimental constraints. The international ASYEOS collaboration (Europe, the USA and Japan), of which we are leading members, has recently been formed to study the EOS of asymmetric nuclear matter. In the period of this grant proposal, the collaboration intends to exploit the stable and rare isotope beams already available from existing facilities such as GSI, GANIL, MSU and RIBF-RIKEN to study the behaviour of the symmetry energy from sub-saturation densities (0.5-1.0 times normal nuclear matter density) to supra-saturation densities (2.0 times normal nuclear matter density and above). This will pave the way for studies in the future at new facilities such as FAIR, FRIB and EURISOL. The UK physicists will lead the neutron/proton flow measurements in Sn+Sn reactions at 200-800 AMeV at GSI.
Organisations
- University of Liverpool (Lead Research Organisation)
- Michigan State University (Collaboration)
- RIKEN (Collaboration)
- Large National Heavy Ion Accelerator (Collaboration)
- Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (Collaboration)
- INDRA Collaboration (Collaboration)
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) (Collaboration)
- Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (Collaboration)
Publications
Abbas E
(2013)
J/? elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at v(s(NN))=2.76 TeV.
in Physical review letters
Abbas E
(2013)
Mid-rapidity anti-baryon to baryon ratios in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 0.9,\ 2.76\mbox{ and }7\mbox{ TeV}$ measured by ALICE
in The European Physical Journal C
Abelev B
(2014)
Suppression of ? ( 1 S ) at forward rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at s NN = 2.76 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2012)
D s + meson production at central rapidity in proton-proton collisions at s = 7 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2014)
Exclusive J/? photoproduction off protons in ultraperipheral p-Pb collisions at v(s(NN))=5.02 TeV.
in Physical review letters
Abelev B
(2014)
Production of charged pions, kaons and protons at large transverse momenta in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at s NN = 2.76 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2014)
Multi-strange baryon production at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at s NN = 2.76 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2014)
Multiplicity dependence of pion, kaon, proton and lambda production in p-Pb collisions at s NN = 5.02 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2013)
Centrality dependence of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at s NN = 2.76 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Abelev B
(2014)
Measurement of charged jet suppression in Pb-Pb collisions at $ \sqrt{ {{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}}} $ = 2.76 TeV
in Journal of High Energy Physics
| Description | - New constraints on the nuclear equation of state of asymmetric matter at twice the normal nuclear matter density with Au+Au heavy-ion collisions at GSI (ASY-EOS experiment). - Signal extraction for the open charm baryon Lambda-c in p-p collisions at the LHC with the ALICE experiment, to study the properties of the Quark-Gluon Plasma. - Contributed to the development of the new SPiRIT TPC at RIKEN. - New results on the nuclear equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter at sub-saturation densities with Ca+Ca heavy-ion collisions at GANIL (INDRA+VAMOS experiment). |
| Exploitation Route | New results on the nuclear equation of state are relevant to astrophysics, e.g. supernovae, neutron stars. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | ALICE Collaboration |
| Organisation | European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) |
| Department | ALICE Collaboration |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Data analysis of LHC data from Run1 and Run2 (heavy-flavour physics working group). ITS upgrade project: Monte Carlo simulations, construction of modules and staves for the Outer Barrel. Supervision of UG and PhD student projects. Meetings of ALICE-UK research groups (Univ. of Birmingham, Univ. of Liverpool, STFC Daresbury). Presentations at conferences, meetings and workshops. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to beam time, data, GRID and other CERN infrastructure and resources, ALICE collaboration international network etc. |
| Impact | Publications. Training of UG and PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | ASY-EOS Collaboration |
| Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
| Department | GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students and PDRA), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD students) for running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD theses (P. Wu, S. Gannon in progress). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | INDRA-VAMOS Collaboration |
| Organisation | INDRA Collaboration |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis, monte carlo simulations and theoretical modelling (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD students) for running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD thesis (P. Wigg in progress). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | INDRA-VAMOS Collaboration |
| Organisation | Large National Heavy Ion Accelerator |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis, monte carlo simulations and theoretical modelling (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD students) for running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD thesis (P. Wigg in progress). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
| Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
| Department | Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
| Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
| Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
| Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
| Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
| Department | GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
| Description | SAMURAI Collaboration |
| Organisation | Michigan State University |
| Department | National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD student), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD student) for construction of TPC and running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD thesis in progress (W. Powell). Training of PhD student and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Funding from RIKEN-Univ Liverpool agreement for PhD studentship. |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | SAMURAI Collaboration |
| Organisation | RIKEN |
| Department | RIKEN-Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD student), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD student) for construction of TPC and running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
| Impact | Publications. PhD thesis in progress (W. Powell). Training of PhD student and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Funding from RIKEN-Univ Liverpool agreement for PhD studentship. |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | IOP School Grants Scheme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Funding awarded to Frodsham CE Primary school to visit Jodrell Bank Observatory. I was the scientific partner for this grant who initiated the idea, helped formulate the funding request and took part in the visit with year 4 children. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help broaden the provision of the science curriculum in this primary school and develop taste for physics/astrophysics in young children. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Nuclear Physics Masterclasses |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | About 20 six-formers attend practical activities in the new Canberra Laboratory at the Univ. of Liverpool award-winning CTL facilities and presentations over a number of days, including discussions in the Q&A part of the presentations. I was the academic lead scientist for these masterclasses since 2012. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | Women in Physics Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Invited Talk at Women in Physics (WiP) workshops, organised by the Physics Outreach Group of the University of Liverpool for girls in year 12 of high school, taking AS and/or A2 courses in Physics. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |