Nuclear density functional constrained by low-energy QCD

We have developed a relativistic point-coupling model of nuclear many-body dynamics constrained by the low-energy sector of QCD. The effective Lagrangian is characterized by density-dependent coupling strengths determined by chiral one- and two-pion exchange (with single and double delta isobar excitations) and by large isoscalar background fields that arise through changes of the quark condensate and the quark density at finite baryon density. The model has been tested in the analysis of nuclear ground-state properties along different isotope chains of medium and heavy nuclei. The agreement with experimental data is comparable with purely phenomenological predictions. The built-in QCD constraints and the explicit treatment of pion exchange restrict the freedom in adjusting parameters and functional forms of density-dependent couplings. It is shown that chiral pionic fluctuations play an important role for nuclear binding and saturation mechanism, whereas background fields of about equal magnitude and opposite sign generate the effective spin-orbit potential in nuclei.Comment: ws-procs9x6.cls, 8 pgs, Talk presented at "X Convegno su Problemi di Fisica Nucleare Teorica", Cortona (AR), 6-9 october 200

Neutron density distribution and neutron skin thickness of 208^{208}Pb

We present and discuss numerical predictions for the neutron density distribution of $^{208}$Pb using various non-relativistic and relativistic mean-field models for the nuclear structure. Our results are compared with the very recent pion photoproduction data from Mainz. The parity-violating asymmetry parameter for elastic electron scattering at the kinematics of the PREX experiment at JLab and the neutron skin thickness are compared with the available data. We consider also the dependence between the neutron skin and the parameters of the expansion of the symmetry energy.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, latest MAMI data use

Elastic and quasi-elastic electron scattering off nuclei with neutron excess

We present theoretical predictions for electron scattering on oxygen and calcium isotopic chains. The calculations are done within the framework of the distorted-wave Born approximation and the proton and neutron density distributions are evaluated adopting a relativistic Dirac-Hartree model. We present results for the elastic and quasi-elastic cross sections and for the parity-violating asymmetry. As a first step, the results of the models are tested in comparison with some of the data available for elastic and quasi-elastic scattering on 16O and 40Ca nuclei. Then, the evolution of some nuclear properties is investigated as a function of the neutron number. We also present a comparison with the parity-violating asymmetry parameter obtained by the PREX Collaboration on 208Pb and give a prediction for the future experiment CREX on 48Ca.Comment: 37 pages, 17 figures. version accepted for publication in the Physical Review C. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0809.4124 by other author

Proton-Nucleus Elastic Scattering: Comparison between Phenomenological and Microscopic Optical Potentials

Elastic scattering is a very important process to understand nuclear interactions in finite nuclei. Despite decades of efforts, the goal of reaching a coherent description of this physical process in terms of microscopic forces is still far from being completed. In previous papers (Phys. Rev. C93, 034619 (2016), Phys. Rev. C96, 044001 (2017)) we derived a nonrelativistic theoretical optical potential from nucleon-nucleon chiral potentials at fourth (N3LO) and fifth order (N4LO). We checked convergence patterns and established theoretical error bands. With this work we study the performances of our optical potential in comparison with those of a successful nonrelativistic phenomenological optical potential in the description of elastic proton scattering data on several isotopic chains at energies around and above 200 MeV. We use the same framework and the same approximations of our previous papers, where the nonrelativistic optical potential is derived at the first-order term within the spectator expansion of the multiple scattering theory and adopting the impulse approximation and the optimum factorization approximation. The cross sections and analyzing powers for elastic proton scattering off calcium, nickel, tin, and lead isotopes are presented for several incident proton energies, exploring the range $156 \le E \le 333$ MeV, where experimental data are available. In addition, we provide theoretical predictions for Ni56 at 400 MeV, which is of interest for the future experiments at EXL. Our results indicate that microscopic optical potentials derived from nucleon-nucleon chiral potentials at N4LO can provide reliable predictions for the cross section and the analyzing power both of stable and exotic nuclei, even at energies where the reliability of the chiral expansion starts to be questionable.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, submitted to PR

A comparison of CMB Angular Power Spectrum Estimators at Large Scales: the TT case

In the context of cosmic microwave background (CMB) data analysis, we compare the efficiency at large scale of two angular power spectrum algorithms, implementing, respectively, the quadratic maximum likelihood (QML) estimator and the pseudo spectrum (pseudo-Cl) estimator. By exploiting 1000 realistic Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we find that the QML approach is markedly superior in the range l=[2-100]. At the largest angular scales, e.g. l < 10, the variance of the QML is almost 1/3 (1/2) that of the pseudo-Cl, when we consider the WMAP kq85 (kq85 enlarged by 8 degrees) mask, making the pseudo spectrum estimator a very poor option. Even at multipoles l=[20-60], where pseudo-Cl methods are traditionally used to feed the CMB likelihood algorithms, we find an efficiency loss of about 20%, when we considered the WMAP kq85 mask, and of about 15% for the kq85 mask enlarged by 8 degrees. This should be taken into account when claiming accurate results based on pseudo-Cl methods. Some examples concerning typical large scale estimators are provided.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Microscopic optical potentials for medium-mass isotopes derived at the first order of the Watson multiple scattering theory

We perform a first-principle calculation of optical potentials for nucleon elastic scattering off medium-mass isotopes. Fully based on a saturating chiral Hamiltonian, the optical potentials are derived by folding nuclear density distributions computed with ab initio self-consistent Green's function theory with a nucleon-nucleon $t$ matrix computed with a consistent chiral interaction. The dependence on the folding interaction as well as the convergence of the target densities are investigated. Numerical results are presented and discussed for differential cross sections and analyzing powers, with focus on elastic proton scattering off Calcium and Nickel isotopes. Our optical potentials generally show a remarkable agreement with the available experimental data for laboratory energies in the range 65-200 MeV. We study the evolution of the scattering observables with increasing proton-neutron asymmetry by computing theoretical predictions of the cross section and analyzing power over the Calcium and Nickel isotopic chains

Elastic Antiproton-Nucleus Scattering from Chiral Forces

Elastic scattering of antiprotons off $^4$He, $^{12}$C, and $^{16,18}$O is described for the first time with a totally microscopic approach based on the calculation of an optical potential (OP) describing the antiproton-target interaction. The OP is derived using the recent antiproton-nucleon ($\bar{p}N$) chiral interaction to calculate the $\bar{p}N$ $t$ matrix, while the target densities are computed with the ab initio no-core shell model using chiral interactions as well. Our results are in a good agreement with the existing experimental data and the results computed at different chiral orders of the $\bar{p}N$ interaction display the convergence pattern expected from the theory

Self-consistent single-particle approximation to nuclear state densities at high excitation energy

We compute nuclear state densities for a number of magic and semimagic nuclei in the usual saddle point approximation within the framework of the grand-canonical formalism in an energy range where residual two-body interactions and collective effects can reasonably be neglected. The single-particle states used in the calculations are generated in a relativistic self-consistent mean field at finite temperature based on widely adopted effective interactions. Observed limits and possible improvements of the adopted formalism are discussed

Nuclear Pairing from Chiral Pion-Nucleon Dynamics: Applications to Finite Nuclei

The 1S0 pairing gap in isospin-symmetric nuclear matter and finite nuclei is investigated using the chiral nucleon-nucleon potential at the N3LO order in the two-body sector, and the N2LO order in the three-body sector. To include realistic nuclear forces in RHB (Relativistic Hartree Bolgoliubov) calculations we rely on a separable form of the pairing interaction adjusted to the bare nuclear force. The separable pairing force is applied to the analysis of pairing properties for several isotopic and isotonic chains of spherical nuclei.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

Young adult obese subjects with and without insulin resistance: what is the role of chronic inflammation and how to weigh it non-invasively?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity is a leading risk factor for metabolic syndrome whose further expression is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Metabolic syndrome is associated with a proinflammatory state that contributes to insulin resistance. Finally, a "metabolically benign obesity" that is not accompanied by insulin resistance has recently been postulated to exist.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To find whether any inflammation markers were independently associated with the presence of insulin resistance, evaluating specific anthropometric, ultrasonographic and laboratory parameters in a population of young adult obese subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Of forty two young individuals, divided into two groups (with or without insulin resistance), were studied serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen as indexes of chronic pro-inflammatory status. Body mass index, waist circumference and metabolic syndrome presence were assessed as part of the metabolic evaluation. Ultrasonography weighted visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat thickness, spleen size as longitudinal diameter and liver hyperechogenicity.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>Serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen as well as spleen longitudinal diameter were significantly increased in the obese young with insulin resistance compared to non-insulin resistance group. Insulin resistance was significantly associated with hepatic steatosis score at sonography (r = 0.33, P = 0.03), spleen longitudinal diameter (r = 0.35, P = 0.02) and C-reactive protein (r = 0.38, P = 0.01), but not with body mass index, visceral or subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue, waist circumference and fibrinogen (P = 0.18, 0.46, 0.33, 0.37 and 0.4, respectively). Steatosis score at sonography was well associated with spleen volume (rho = 0.40, P = 0.01) and C-reactive protein levels (rho = 0.49, P = 0.002). Metabolic syndrome was much more frequent in obese patients with insulin resistance. These findings show that in young adults the only abdominal adiposity without insulin resistance, plays a scarce role in determining hepatic steatosis as well as metabolic syndrome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Increases in spleen size and CRP levels represent a reliable tool in diagnosing insulin resistance.</p