118880072
Quark coalescence for charmed mesons in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions
Abstract We investigate effects of charm-quark interactions in a quark–gluon plasma on the production of D and J / ψ mesons in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Employing a previously constructed coalescence model that successfully reproduces the transverse momentum ( p T ) spectra and elliptic flow ( v 2 ( p T ) ) of light hadrons at RHIC from underlying light-quark distributions at the phase transition temperature  T c , D -meson and J / ψ p T -spectra are evaluated. For the charm-quark distributions, we consider two limiting scenarios: (i) no rescattering, corresponding to perturbative QCD (pQCD) spectra and (ii) complete thermalization including transverse expansion. We find that D -mesons acquire a minimal v 2 inherited from their light-quark content and corresponding semileptonic decay spectra of single electrons practically preserve the v 2 of the parent particles, exhibiting marked differences between the pQCD and thermal scenarios for p T ⩾ 1 GeV . Likewise, the p T -spectra and yields of J / ψ 's differ appreciably in the two scenarios.
15375821
Rapidity and system size dependence of anisotropic flows in relativistic heavy ion collisions
We report results from a multiphase transport (AMPT) model on the rapidity and system size dependence of charged hadron anisotropic flows in nuclear collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).
16350602
Partonic effects in heavy ion collisions at RHIC
Effects of partonic interactions in heavy ion collisions at RHIC are studied in a multiphase transport model (AMPT) that includes both initial partonic and final hadronic interactions. It is found that a large parton scattering cross section is needed to understand the measured elliptic flow of pions and two-pion correlation function.
18778142
Determination of the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy from isospin diffusion.
With an isospin- and momentum-dependent transport model, we find that the degree of isospin diffusion in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies is affected by both the stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy and the momentum dependence of the nucleon potential. Using a momentum dependence derived from the Gogny effective interaction, recent experimental data from NSCL-MSU on isospin diffusion are shown to be consistent with a nuclear symmetry energy given by E(sym)(rho) approximately 31.6(rho/rho(0))(1.05) at subnormal densities. This leads to a significantly constrained value of about -550 MeV for the isospin-dependent part of the isobaric incompressibility of isospin asymmetric nuclear matter.
11222928
Progress Towards Determining the Density Dependence of the Nuclear Symmetry Energy Using Heavy-Ion Reactions
The latest development in determining the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy using heavy-ion collisions is reviewed. Within the IBUU04 version of an isospin- and momentum-dependent transport model using a modified Gogny effective interaction, recent experimental data from NSCL/MSU on isospin diffusion are found to be consistent with a nuclear sym- metry energy of Esym(ρ) ≈ 31.6(ρ/ρ0) 1.05 at subnormal densities. Predictions on several observables sensitive to the density dependence of the symmetry en- ergy at supranormal densities accessible at GSI and the planned Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) are also made.
118590053
Recent Progress and New Challenges in Isospin Physics with Heavy-Ion Reactions
The ultimate goal of studying isospin physics via heavy-ion reactions with neutron-rich, stable and/or radioactive nuclei is to explore the isospin dependence of in-medium nuclear effective interactions and the equation of state of neutron-rich nuclear matter, particularly the isospin-dependent term in the equation of state, i.e., the density dependence of the symmetry energy. Because of its great importance for understanding many phenomena in both nuclear physics and astrophysics, the study of the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy has been the main focus of the intermediate-energy heavy-ion physics community during the last decade, and significant progress has been achieved both experimentally and theoretically. In particular, a number of phenomena or observables have been identified as sensitive probes to the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy. Experimental studies have confirmed some of these interesting isospin-dependent effects and allowed us to constrain relatively stringently the symmetry energy at sub-saturation densities. The impact of this constrained density dependence of the symmetry energy on the properties of neutron stars have also been studied, and they were found to be very useful for the astrophysical community. With new opportunities provided by the various radioactive beam facilities being constructed around the world, the study of isospin physics is expected to remain one of the forefront research areas in nuclear physics. In this report, we review the major progress achieved during the last decade in isospin physics with heavy ion reactions and discuss future challenges to the most important issues in this field.
119494719
Theoretical Aspects of Gravitational Lensing in TeVeS
Since Bekenstein's creation of his tensor-vector-scalar theory (TeVeS), the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) paradigm has been redeemed from the embarrassment of lacking a relativistic version. One primary success of TeVeS is that it provides an enhancement of gravitational lensing, which could not be achieved by other MOND theories. Following Bekenstein's work, we investigate the phenomena of gravitational lensing including deflection angles, lens equations, and time delay. We find that the deflection angle maintains its value, while the distance of closest approach varies in the MOND regime. We also use the deflection angle law to derive magnifications and investigate microlensing light curves. We find that the difference in the magnification of the two images in the point-mass model is not a constant, as in general relativity (GR). Besides, microlensing light curves could deviate significantly from GR in the deep MOND regime. Furthermore, the scalar field, which is introduced to enhance the deflection angle in TeVeS, contributes a negative effect on the potential time delay. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is unmeasurable in lensing systems, where we can only observe the time delay between two images for a given source. However, this measurable time delay offers another constraint on the mass ratio of the dark matter and MOND scenarios, which in general differs from that given by the deflection angle. In other words, for a lensing system, if two masses, mgN and mgM, are mutual alternatives for the deflection angles in their own paradigm, regarding the time delay they are in general in an exclusive relation.
16029130
Line and Continuum Emission from the Galactic Center. III. Origin of 6.4 keV Line Emission from Molecular Clouds in the Galactic Center
We analyze the 6.4 keV line and continuum emission from the molecular cloud Sgr B2 and the source HESS J1745-303, which is supposed to be a complex of molecular gas. From the HESS results it follows that Sgr A is a source of high energy protons, which penetrate into molecular clouds producing there a TeV gamma-ray flux. We present arguments that Sgr A may also produce a flux of subrelativistic protons which generate the 6.4 keV line and bremsstrahlung continuum emission from the clouds.
119432484
Open clusters in a dispersing molecular cloud
Star clusters are formed in molecular clouds which are believed to be the birth places of most stars. From recent observational data, Lada & Lada (2003) estimated that only 4 to 7% of the proto-clusters have survived. A possible reason is the dispersion of molecular clouds by UV radiation, stellar winds or supernova explosions. We study the cloud dispersion in the embedded clusters by N-body simulations. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
121843826
Hubble constant, lensing, and time delay in Te Ve S
Hubble constant can be determined by the time delay of gravitational lensing systems. As data on time delay observation accumulates, it is time to revisit this approach. As in other dynamical phenomena in scales of galaxy and cluster of galaxies, gravitational lensing in these scales is also plagued by the problem of excess acceleration or gravity (a.k.a. missing mass problem). There are always some accelerations unaccounted for by luminous matter. Usually dark matter is introduced to interpret the discrepancy. However, MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is more successful in explaining the excess accelerations in galaxy scale. We adopt TeVeS as the relativistic version of MOND to study gravitational lensing phenomena, and we can evaluate the Hubble constant from the derived time-delay formula. To apply our method, we rely on the CASTLE quasar lensing survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Four samples are suitable for our study. Using only the luminous part of the lensing galaxies, the average of the derived Hubble constant is 68.5 km s^-1Mpc^-1
119468344
Parker-Jeans Instability of Gaseous Disks Including the Effect of Cosmic Rays
We use linear analysis to examine the effect of cosmic rays (CRs) on the Parker-Jeans instability of magnetized self-gravitating gaseous disks. We adopt a slab equilibrium model in which the gravity (including self-gravity) is perpendicular to the midplane and the magnetic field lies along the slab. CRs are described as a fluid, and diffusion is considered only along magnetic field lines. The linearized equations are solved numerically. The system is susceptible to Parker-Jeans instability. In general, the system is less unstable when the CR diffusion coefficient is smaller (i.e., the coupling between the CRs and plasma is stronger). The system is also less unstable if the CR pressure is larger. This is reminiscent of the fact that Jeans instability and Parker instability are less unstable when the gas pressure is larger (or temperature is higher). Moreover, for a large CR diffusion coefficient (or a small CR pressure), perturbations parallel to the magnetic field are more unstable than those perpendicular to it. The other governing factor on the growth rate of the perturbations in different directions is the thickness of the disk or the strength of the external pressure on the disk. In fact, this is the determining factor in some parameter regimes.