Constraining the symmetry energy with heavy-ion collisions and Bayesian analyses

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Morfouace, P, Tsang, C Y, Zhang, Y, Lynch, W G, Tsang, M B, Coupland, D D S, Youngs, M, Chajecki, Z, Famiano, M A, Ghosh, T K, Jhang, G, Lee, Jenny, Liu, H, Sanetullaev, A, Showalter, R, Winkelbauer, J
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 03.05.2019
• Subjects: Bayesian analysis; Correlation; Density; Ionic collisions; Physics - Nuclear Experiment; Physics - Nuclear Theory; Symmetry
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1904.12471

Efficiency corrected single ratios of neutron and proton spectra in central \(^{112}\)Sn+\(^{112}\)Sn and \(^{124}\)Sn+\(^{124}\)Sn collisions at 120 MeV/u are combined with double ratios to provide constraints on the density and momentum dependencies of the isovector mean-field potential. Bayesian analyses of these data reveal that the isoscalar and isovector nucleon effective masses, \(m_s^* - m_v^*\) are strongly correlated. The linear correlation observed in \(m_s^* - m_v^*\) yields a nearly independent constraint on the effective mass splitting \(\Delta m_{np}^*= (m_n^*-m_p^*)/m_N = -0.05_{-0.09}^{+0.09}\delta\). The correlated constraint on the standard symmetry energy, \(S_0\) and the slope, \(L\) at saturation density yields the values of symmetry energy \(S(\rho_s)=16.8_{-1.2}^{+1.2}\) MeV at a sensitive density of \(\rho_s/\rho_0 = 0.43_{-0.05}^{+0.05}\).