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At least 325 records · Page 18

Efficacy of the symmetry-adapted basis for ab initio nucleon-nucleus interactions for light- and intermediate-mass nuclei

We study the efficacy of a new ab initio framework that combines the symmetry-adapted (SA) no-core shell-model approach with the resonating group method (RGM) for unified descriptions of nuclear structure and reactions. We obtain ab initio neutron-nucleus interactions for 4 He, 16 O, and 20 Ne targets, starting with realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials. We discuss the effect of increasing model space sizes and symmetry-based selections on the SA-RGM norm and direct potential kernels, as well as on phase shifts, which are the input to calculations of cross sections. We demonstrate the efficacy of the SA basis and its scalability with particle numbers and model space dimensions, with a view toward ab initio descriptions of nucleon scattering and capture reactions up through the medium-mass region.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Pulse and Polarization Structures in Axion-Converted X-Rays from Pulsars

Neutron stars (NSs) with their strong magnetic fields and hot dense cores could be powerful probes of axions, a classic benchmark of feebly coupled new particles, through abundant production of axions with the axion-nucleon coupling and subsequent conversion into x-rays due to the axion-photon coupling. In this Letter, we point out that the pulsation structures in both the intensity and polarization of x-rays from NSs could provide us additional information about axions and their couplings. We develop new analytical formalisms of pulsation-polarization structure applicable to a wide range of NSs in the axion scenario and argue that they hold in complicated astrophysical environments. As a case study, we apply our formalism to a representative X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Star, RX J1856.6-3754, with an unexpected hard x-ray excess which might be axion induced. We show with an updated fit that the axion explanation is compatible with both the intensity and pulsation data available, and combining the pulsation data does not shift the posterior by more than 1⁢𝜎. Yet, the preferred parameter space is close to being excluded by other astrophysical constraints. With a 75% reduction of the uncertainties in the pulsation data, we could potentially draw a definite conclusion on the axion-induced x-rays at more than 3⁢𝜎 level.

Axions↗

Medium-induced modification of groomed and ungroomed jet mass and angularities in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The ALICE Collaboration presents a new suite of jet substructure measurements in Pb–Pb and pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. These measurements provide access to the internal structure of jets via the momentum and angle of their constituents, probing how the quark–gluon plasma modifies jets, an effect known as jet quenching. Jet grooming additionally removes soft wide-angle radiation to enhance perturbative accuracy and reduce experimental uncertainties. We report the groomed and ungroomed jet mass m jet and jet angularities λ$^{κ}_{α}$ using κ = 1 and α > 0. Charged-particle jets are reconstructed at midrapidity using the anti-k T algorithm with resolution parameter R = 0.2. A narrowing of the jet mass and angularity distributions in Pb–Pb collisions with respect to pp is observed and is enhanced for groomed results, confirming modification of the jet core. By using consistent jet definitions and kinematic cuts between the mass and angularities for the first time, previous inconsistencies in the interpretation of quenching measurements are resolved, rectifying a hurdle for understanding how jet quenching arises from first principles and highlighting the importance of a well-controlled baseline. These results are compared with a variety of theoretical models of jet quenching, providing constraints on jet energy-loss mechanisms in the quark–gluon plasma.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Effective field theory for radiative corrections to charged-current processes. II. Axial-vector coupling

Here we discuss the hadronic structure-dependent radiative corrections to the axial-vector coupling that controls single-nucleon weak charged-current processes—commonly denoted by 𝑔 𝐴 . We match the Standard Model at the GeV scale onto chiral perturbation theory at next-to-leading order in the one-nucleon sector, in the presence of electromagnetic and weak interactions. As a result, we provide a representation for the corrections to 𝑔 𝐴 in terms of infrared finite convolutions of simple kernels with the single-nucleon matrix elements of time-ordered products of two and three quark bilinears (vector, axial-vector, and pseudoscalar). We discuss strategies to determine the required nonperturbative input from data, lattice-QCD (+QED), and possibly hadronic models. This work paves the way for a precise comparison of the values of the ratio 𝑔 𝐴 ⁡/𝑔 𝑉 extracted from experiment and from lattice QCD, which constrain physics beyond the Standard Model.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Deuterium scattering experiments in CTEQ global QCD analyses: a comparative investigation

Abstract Experimental measurements in deep-inelastic scattering and lepton-pair production on deuterium targets play an important role in the flavor separation of u and d (anti)quarks in global QCD analyses of the parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the nucleon. We investigate the impact of theoretical corrections accounting for the light-nuclear structure of the deuteron upon the fitted u , d -quark, gluon, and other PDFs in the CJ15 and CT18 families of next-to-leading order CTEQ global analyses. The investigation is done using the $$L_2$$ L 2 sensitivity statistical method, which provides a common metric to quantify the strength of experimental constraints on various PDFs and ratios of PDFs in the two distinct fitting frameworks. Using the $$L_2$$ L 2 sensitivity and other approaches, we examine the compatibility of deuteron data sets with other fitted experiments under varied implementations of the deuteron corrections. We find that freely-fitted deuteron corrections modify the PDF uncertainty at large momentum fractions and will be relevant for future PDFs affecting electroweak precision measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of H(e,e’) and D(e,e’) Cross-Sections for Bloom-Gilman Quark-Hadron Duality Study

The E12-10-002 experiment which ran in 2018 in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility measured the inclusive electron scattering cross-sections for hydrogen and deuterium. This was the first experiment conducted with the new Super High-Momentum Spectrometer and accompanying instrumentation. These measurements extend the previous Hall C measurements up to Q2 = 16 GeV2. This dissertation presents the analyses of the new detectors and shows the preliminary results for F2 structure function and the study of quark-hadron duality in the four nucleon-resonance regions.

Sun, Abel↗

Proton spin structure and generalized polarizabilities in the strong quantum chromodynamics regime

The strong interaction is not well understood at low energies or for interactions with low momentum transfer. Chiral perturbation theory gives testable predictions for the nucleonic generalized polarizabilities, which are fundamental quantities describing the nucleon’s response to an external field. We report a measurement of the proton’s generalized spin polarizabilities extracted with a polarized electron beam and a polarized solid ammonia target in the region where chiral perturbation theory is expected to be valid. The investigated structure function g2 characterizes the internal spin structure of the proton. From its moments, we extract the longitudinal–transverse spin polarizability δLT and twist-3 matrix element and polarizability d2¯. Our results provide discriminating power between existing chiral perturbation theory calculations and will help provide a better understanding of this strong quantum chromodynamics regime.

Ruth, D↗

Implementing Chiral Three-Body Forces in Terms of Medium-Dependent Two-Body Forces

Three-nucleon (3N) forces are an indispensable ingredient for accurate few-body and many- body nuclear structure and reaction theory calculations. While the direct implementation of chiral 3N forces can be technically very challenging, a simpler approach is given by employing instead a medium-dependent NN interaction V med that reflects the physics of three-body forces at the two-body normal-ordered approximation. We review the derivation and construction of Vmed from the chiral 3N interaction at next-to-next-to-leading order (N2LO), consisting of a long-range 2π-exchange term, a mid-range 1π-exchange component and a short-range contact-term. Several applications of V med to the equation of state of cold nuclear and neutron matter, the nucleon single-particle potential in nuclear matter, and the nuclear quasiparticle interaction are discussed. We also explore differences in using local vs. nonlocal regulating functions on 3N forces and make direct comparisons to exact results at low order in perturbation theory expansions for the equation of state and single-particle potential. We end with a discussion and numerical calculation of the in-medium NN potential V med from the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) chiral 3N force, which consists of a series of long-range and short-range terms.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Semiclassical shell-structure micro-macroscopic approach for the level density

Level density ρ(E,A) is derived for a one-component nucleon system with a given energy E and particle number A within the mean-field semiclassical periodic-orbit theory beyond the saddle-point method of the Fermi gas model. We obtain ρ∝I ν (S)/S ν , with I ν (S) being the modified Bessel function of the entropy S. Within the micro-macro-canonical approximation (MMA), for a small thermal excitation energy U, with respect to rotational excitations E rot , one obtains ν = 3/2 for ρ(E,A). In the case of excitation energy U larger than E rot but smaller than the neutron separation energy, one finds a larger value of ν = 5/2. A role of the fixed spin variables for rotating nuclei is discussed. The MMA level density ρ reaches the well-known grand-canonical ensemble limit (Fermi gas asymptote) for large S related to large excitation energies, and also reaches the finite micro-canonical limit for small combinatorial entropy S at low excitation energies (the constant “temperature” model). Fitting the ρ(E,A) of the MMA to the experimental data for low excitation energies, taking into account shell and, qualitatively, pairing effects, one obtains for the inverse level density parameter K a value which differs essentially from that parameter derived from data on neutron resonances.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nucleon form factors and parton distributions in nonlocal chiral effective theory

In this work, we present a review of recent applications of nonlocal chiral effective theory to hadron structure studies. Starting from a nonlocal meson-baryon effective chiral Lagrangian, we show how the introduction of a correlation function representing the finite extent of hadrons regularizes the meson loop integrals and introduces momentum dependence in vertex form factors in a gauge invariant manner. We apply the framework to the calculation of nucleon electromagnetic form factors, unpolarized and polarized parton distributions, as well as transverse momentum dependent distributions and generalized parton distributions. Assuming that the nonlocal behavior is a general property of all interactions, we also discuss the application to the lepton anomalous magnetic moment in nonlocal QED.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a polarized spin-1 target. I. Cross section and spin observables

We develop the theoretical framework for semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a polarized spin-1 target and apply it to scattering on the polarized deuteron with spectator nucleon tagging. In Part I (this article) we present the general form of the semi-inclusive cross section and polarization observables for the spin-1 target. A relativistically covariant formulation in terms of four-vectors and invariant polarization parameters is employed. The target polarization is described by a spin density matrix with vector and tensor polarization. The spin and azimuthal angle dependence of the semi-inclusive cross section is derived and parametrized in terms of invariant structure functions. To validate the result, the structure functions are expressed as photon-target helicity amplitudes with known symmetry properties. The expressions presented here are kinematic (no assumptions about particle production dynamics) and valid in all regions of the deep-inelastic final state (current and target fragmentation regions). In Part II (following article), we consider deep-inelastic scattering on the polarized deuteron with spectator nucleon tagging as a special case of target fragmentation. The semi-inclusive structure functions are computed by separating nuclear and hadronic structure, and the polarization observables are explored as functions of the tagged nucleon momentum.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Study of the deformed halo nucleus 31 Ne with Glauber model based on microscopic self-consistent structures

In this work, the exotic deformed nucleus 31 Ne is studied with an approach that combines self-consistent structure and reaction theories. The deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) is utilized to demonstrate that deformation and pairing correlations give rise to a halo structure with a large-amplitude p-wave configuration in 31 Ne. Then the valence nucleon wave functions and angle-averaged density distributions of 30 Ne from this theory are used as input for the Glauber reaction model to study the observables of neutron-rich neon isotopes to search halo signatures. With NL1 effective interaction, our predictions of the reaction cross sections for these exotic neon isotopes on a carbon target can better reproduce the experimental data than those from the relativistic mean field model for a spherical shape with resonances and pairing correlation contributions, and are roughly 3.3% (~ 50 mb) larger than those with Gaussian function-fitted densities of the core nuclei. The calculated one-neutron removal cross section at 240 MeV/nucleon, and the inclusive longitudinal momentum distribution of the 30 Ne residues from the 31Ne breakup reaction are largely improved over previous theoretical predictions and agree well with data. These reaction evaluations indicate a dilute density distribution in coordinate space and are a canonical signature of a halo structure. Moreover, our predictions with the NL3 and PK1 effective interactions give slightly better descriptions of reaction observables for exotic neon isotopes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Longitudinal spin transfer to Λ hyperons in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering with the CLAS12 spectrometer

The polarization of Λ hyperons is preserved in the angular distribution of their decay products. This property allows one to study the spin structure of the Λ. In semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering where a high energy lepton interacts with a nucleon target and one or more hadrons and the scattered lepton are detected in the final state, the probability for a struck quark to impart the polarization of the lepton to the Λ may be measured. In particular, in electron-proton scattering this quantity may be related to the longitudinal light quark polarization of the Λ. Currently, limited experimental data cannot discriminate between different models of Λ spin structure. This work reports on the measurement of the longitudinal spin transfer 𝐷$^{Λ}_{𝐿⁢𝐿′}$ to the Λ using data taken by the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab with a 10.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam and an unpolarized hydrogen target. This measurement is the most precise to date, and, in comparison with theory predictions, it offers valuable insight into the relative dominance of current and target fragmentation in Λ production.

deep inelastic scattering↗

Novel observation of isospin structure of short-range correlations in calcium isotopes

Short Range Correlations (SRCs) have been identiffed as being responsible for the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution, n(k). Hard, short-range interactions of nucleon pairs generate the high momentum tail and imprint a universal character on n(k) for all nuclei at large momentum. Triple coincidence experiments have shown a strong dominance of np pairs, but these measurements involve large final state interactions. This paper presents the results from Jefferson Lab experiment E08014 which measured inclusive electron scattering cross-section from Ca isotopes. Here, by comparing the inclusive cross section from 48 Ca to 40 Ca in a kinematic region dominated by SRCs we provide a new way to study the isospin structure of SRCs.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Exploring the sensitivity of charge-exchange ( p , n ) reactions to the neutron density distribution

The determination of the nuclear neutron properties suffers from uncontrolled uncertainties, which have attracted considerable attention recently, such as in the context of the PREX experiment. Our aim is to analyze the sensitivity of charge-exchange (p,n) reactions to the neutron density distribution ρ n and constrain the neutron characteristics in the nuclear structure models. Method: By combing the folding and the mean-field models, the nucleon-nucleus (N,A) potential can be obtained from the nuclear density distribution. Further, the (p,p) and (p,n) cross sections for 48 Ca and 208 Pb are calculated following the distorted-wave Born approximation method. As a result, compared with the (p,p) cross section, the effects of ρ n variation on the (p,n) cross section are significant, which is due to the impact of isovector properties. Based on the global folding model analyses of data, it is found that 48 Ca and 208 Pb have relatively large neutron skin thickness ΔR np . Results illustrate that the charge-exchange (p,n) reaction is a sensitive probe of ρ n . The results in this paper can offer useful guides for future experiments of neutron characteristics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Present and future of JLab CLAS12 physics program

The CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab produced the first results in SIDIS and DI-HADRON reactions. Making use of the CEBAF high energy (up to 11 GeV) and highly longitudinal polartized (up to 90%) electron beam will cover unexplored territories in electron-scattering physics. Exclusive reactions on nuclons and nuclei will be measured with high precision in high luminosity (up to 10e35 cm-2s-1) experiments. Mapping out a new class of structure functions, GPDs and TMDs, detecting and reconstructing exotic meson and baryon states and accessing nucleons correlations in nuclei, in the next decade, the CLAS12 rich physics program will provide insight in the complex dynamics of the QCD paving the road to the EIC physics. In this talk, the CLAS12 detector and JLab Hall-B physics program will be described reporting some preliminary results for flag-ship reactions and plans for future upgrades of the detector.

Battaglieri, Marco↗

Studying the hadron structure with PANDA and CLAS using machine learning techniques

The hadron spectroscopy and structure are currently very active fields of research to study the non-perturbative regime of quantum chronodynamics. The first one studies the complex structure of excited hadrons by looking at their decay products, while the latter uses lepton scattering on nucleons. Both methods require reconstruction algorithms with great efficiency and good particle identification and background rejection rates. This work aims to provide these by either improving the existing methods or developing new ones. The first part of this document presents a feasibility study of a predicted hybrid charmonium state for the PANDA experiment. Lattice QCD calculations predict the ground state hybrid charmonium to be a spin exotic with quantum numbers of JP C = 1?+ at a mass of around 4.3 GeV with a width to be around 20 MeV. A machine learning based data analysis scheme is proposed to further improve the signal efficiency and the background reduction, alongside with improvements of the analysis software (PandaRoot), that are vital for this study. These improvements include a reworked clustering algorithm for the electromagnetic calorimeter (EMC) and an optimized monte carlo matching for neutral particles. The second part of this document is about studying the proton structure. A multidimensional study of the structure function ratio Fsin(?)LU /FUU has been performed for K±, based on the measurement of beam-spin asymmetries. It uses the high statistics data recorded with the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Laboratory. Fsin(?)LU is a twist-3 quantity that provides information about the quark gluon correlations in the proton. This document will present for the first time a simultaneous analysis of two kaon channels over a large kinematic range of z, xB , PT and Q2 with virtualities Q2 ranging from 1 GeV2 up to 8 GeV2 using machine learning techniques for improved particle identification.

Kripko, Aron↗

Entanglement rearrangement in self-consistent nuclear structure calculations

Background: Entanglement plays a central role in a diverse array of increasingly important research areas, including quantum computation, simulation, measurement, sensing, and communication. Extensive suites of investigations have been performed to better understand entanglement in atomic and molecular quantum many-body systems, while the exploration of entanglement in the structure of nuclei and their reactions is presently in its infancy. Purpose: The goal of this work is to begin investigating the entanglement properties of nuclei from first-principles nuclear many-body calculations. We attempt to identify common features and emergent structures of entanglement that could ultimately lead to new and natural many-body schemes. With an eye toward quantum accelerators in future hybrid-supercomputers, criteria for partitioning nuclear many-body calculations into quantum and classical components may provide advantages in future large-scale computations. Along the way we look for explanations of the relative success of phenomenological models such as the nuclear shell model, and for better ways to match to low-energy nuclear effective field theories and lattice QCD calculations to nuclear many-body techniques that are based upon entanglement. Method: We explore the entanglement between single-particle states in 4 He and 6 He. The patterns of entanglement emerging from different single-particle bases are compared, and possible links with the convergence of observables are explored, in particular, ground-state energies. The nuclear wave functions are obtained by performing active-space no-core configuration-interaction calculations using a two-body nucleon-nucleon interaction derived from chiral effective field theory. Entanglement measures within single-particle bases exhibiting different degrees of complexity are determined, in particular, harmonic oscillator (HO), Hartree-Fock (HF), natural (NAT) and variational natural (VNAT) bases. Specifically, single-orbital entanglement entropy, two-orbital mutual information, and negativity are studied. Results: The entanglement structures in 4 He and 6 He are found to be more localized within NAT and VNAT bases than within a HO basis for the optimal HO parameters we have worked with. In particular a core-valence structure clearly emerges from the full no-core calculation of 6 He. Here, the two-nucleon mutual information shows that the VNAT basis, which typically exhibits good convergence properties, effectively decouples the active and inactive spaces. Conclusions: Measures of one- and two-nucleon entanglement are found to be useful in analyzing the structure of nuclear wave functions, in particular the efficacy of basis states, and may provide useful metrics toward developing more efficient schemes for ab initio computations of the structure and reactions of nuclei, and quantum many-body systems more generally.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗