Non-Markovian effects in the solar neutrino problem

The solar core, because of its density and temperature, is not a weakly-interacting or a high-temperature plasma. Collective effects have time scales comparable to the average time between collisions, and the microfield distribution influences the particle dynamics. In this conditions ion and electron diffusion is a non-Markovian process, memory effects are present and the equilibrium statistical distribution function differs from the Maxwellian one. We show that, even if the deviations from the standard velocity distribution that are compatible with our present knowledge of the solar interior are small, they are sufficient to sensibly modify the sub-barrier nuclear reaction rates. The consequent changes of the neutrino fluxes are comparable to the flux deficits that constitute the solar neutrino problem.Comment: 4 pages, to appear in the Proceedings of Nuclei in the Cosmos

Chemical and mechanical instabilities in high energy heavy-ion collisions

We investigate the possible thermodynamic instability in a warm and dense nuclear medium where a phase transition from nucleonic matter to resonance-dominated Delta-matter can take place. Such a phase transition is characterized by both mechanical instability (fluctuations on the baryon density) and by chemical-diffusive instability (fuctuations onthe isospin concentration) in asymmetric nuclear matter. Similarly to the liquid-gas phase transition, the nucleonic and the Delta-matter phase have a different isospin density in the mixed phase. In the liquid-gas phase transition, the process of producing a larger neutron excess in the gas phase is referred to as isospin fractionation. A similar effects can occur in the nucleon-Delta matter phase transition due essentially to a Delta- excess in the Delta-matter phase in asymmetric nuclear matter. In this context, we study the hadronic equation of state by means of an effective quantum relativistic mean field model with the inclusion of the full octet of baryons, the Delta-isobar degrees of freedom, and the lightest pseudoscalar and vector mesons. Finally, we will investigate the presence of thermodynamic instabilities in a hot and dense nuclear medium where phases with different values of antibaryon-baryon ratios and strangeness content may coexist. Such a physical regime could be in principle investigated in the future high-energy compressed nuclear matter experiments where will make it possible to create compressed baryonic matter with a high net baryon density

Quantum thermodynamic instabilities in compact stars

We study the existence of thermodynamic instabilities in the nuclear equation of state relative to the high density regime reached in the central core of compact stars. In the framework of a relativistic mean-field theory, we analyze the asymmetric nuclear properties in beta-equilibrium, including hyperons and Delta-isobar degrees of freedom. We investigate a finite density phase transition characterized by pure hadronic matter with the presence of mechanical instability (relative to the fluctuation of baryon number) and of chemical-dffusive instability (relative to the fluctuation of electric charge concentration). We find that, in the presence of thermodynamic instabilities, two hadronic phases with dfferent values of electric charge content may coexist, with several phenomenological consequences in the physics of compact stars

Evidence for narrow resonant structures at W≈1.68W \approx 1.68 and W≈1.72W \approx 1.72 GeV in real Compton scattering off the proton

First measurement of the beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for Compton scattering off the proton in the energy range $E_{\gamma}=0.85 - 1.25$ GeV is presented. The data reveals two narrow structures at $E_{\gamma}= 1.036$ and $E_{\gamma}=1.119$ GeV. They may signal narrow resonances with masses near $1.68$ and $1.72$ GeV, or they may be generated by the sub-threshold $K\Lambda$ and $\omega p$ production. Their decisive identification requires additional theoretical and experimental efforts.Comment: Published versio

Power-law quantum distributions in protoneutron stars

We investigate the bulk properties of protoneutron stars in the framework of a relativistic mean field theory based on nonextensive statistical mechanics, originally proposed by C. Tsallis and characterized by power-law quantum distributions. We study the relevance of nonextensive statistical effects on the β-stable equation of state at fixed entropy per baryon, for nucleonic and hyperonic matter. We concentrate our analysis in the maximum heating and entropy per baryon s = 2 stage and T ≈ 40 ÷ 80 MeV. This is the phase, at high temperature and high baryon density, in which the presence of nonextensive effects may alter more sensibly the thermodynamical and mechanical properties of the protoneutron star. We show that nonextensive power-law effects could play a crucial role in the structure and in the evolution of the protoneutron stars also for small deviations from the standard Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics

Nonlinear statistical effects in relativistic mean field theory

We investigate the relativistic mean field theory of nuclear matter at finite temperature and baryon density taking into account of nonlinear statistical effects, characterized by power-law quantum distributions. The analysis is performed by requiring the Gibbs conditions on the global conservation of baryon number and electric charge fraction. We show that such nonlinear statistical effects play a crucial role in the equation of state and in the formation of mixed phase also for small deviations from the standard Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1005.4643 and arXiv:0912.460

Evidence for Narrow N*(1685) Resonance in Quasifree Compton Scattering on the Neutron

The first study of quasi-free Compton scattering on the neutron in the energy range of $E_{\gamma}=0.75 - 1.5$ GeV is presented. The data reveals a narrow peak at $W\sim 1.685$ GeV. This result, being considered in conjunction with the recent evidence for a narrow structure at $W\sim 1.68$GeV in the $\eta$ photoproduction on the neutron, suggests the existence of a new nucleon resonance with unusual properties: the mass $M\sim 1.685$GeV, the narrow width $\Gamma \leq 30$MeV, and the much stronger photoexcitation on the neutron than on the proton.Comment: Replaced with the version published in Phys. Rev.

First Measurement of the He3+He3-->He4+2p Cross Section down to the Lower Edge of the Solar Gamow Peak

We give the LUNA results on the cross section measurement of a key reaction of the proton-proton chain strongly affecting the calculated neutrino luminosity from the Sun: He3+He3-->He4+2p. Due to the cosmic ray suppression provided by the Gran Sasso underground laboratory it has been possible to measure the cross section down to the lower edge of the solar Gamow peak, i.e. as low as 16.5 keV centre of mass energy. The data clearly show the cross section increase due to the electron screening effect but they do not exhibit any evidence for a narrow resonance suggested to explain the observed solar neutrino flux.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX, and 2 figures in PostScript Submitted for publicatio

Impact of a revised 25^{25}Mg(p,γ\gamma)26^{26}Al reaction rate on the operation of the Mg-Al cycle

Proton captures on Mg isotopes play an important role in the Mg-Al cycle active in stellar H-burning regions. In particular, low-energy nuclear resonances in the $^{25}$Mg(p,$\gamma$)$^{26}$Al reaction affect the production of radioactive $^{26}$Al$^{gs}$ as well as the resulting Mg/Al abundance ratio. Reliable estimations of these quantities require precise measurements of the strengths of low-energy resonances. Based on a new experimental study performed at LUNA, we provide revised rates of the $^{25}$Mg(p,$\gamma$)$^{26}$Al$^{gs}$ and the $^{25}$Mg(p,$\gamma$)$^{26}$Al$^{m}$ reactions with corresponding uncertainties. In the temperature range 50 to 150 MK, the new recommended rate of the $^{26}$Al$^{m}$ production is up to 5 times higher than previously assumed. In addition, at T$=100$ MK, the revised total reaction rate is a factor of 2 higher. Note that this is the range of temperature at which the Mg-Al cycle operates in an H-burning zone. The effects of this revision are discussed. Due to the significantly larger $^{25}$Mg(p,$\gamma$)$^{26}$Al$^{m}$ rate, the estimated production of $^{26}$Al$^{gs}$ in H-burning regions is less efficient than previously obtained. As a result, the new rates should imply a smaller contribution from Wolf-Rayet stars to the galactic $^{26}$Al budget. Similarly, we show that the AGB extra-mixing scenario does not appear able to explain the most extreme values of $^{26}$Al/$^{27}$Al, i.e. $>10^{-2}$, found in some O-rich presolar grains. Finally, the substantial increase of the total reaction rate makes the hypothesis of a self-pollution by massive AGBs a more robust explanation for the Mg-Al anticorrelation observed in Globular-Cluster stars