Scalar and vector form factors of the in-medium nucleon

Using the quark-meson coupling model, we calculate the form factors at sigma- and omega-nucleon strong-interaction vertices in nuclear matter. The Peierls-Yoccoz projection technique is used to take account of center of mass and recoil corrections. We also apply the Lorentz contraction to the internal quark wave function. The form factors are reduced by the nuclear medium relative to those in vacuum. At normal nuclear matter density and Q^2 = 1 GeV^2, the reduction rate in the scalar form factor is about 15%, which is almost identical to that in the vector one. We parameterize the ratios of the form factors in symmetric nuclear matter to those in vacuum as a function of nuclear density and momentum transfer.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, references are up date

Relativistic predictions of exclusive 208Pb(p⃗,2p)207Tℓ^{208}Pb(\vec{p},2p) ^{207}T\ell analyzing powers at an incident energy of 202 MeV

Within the framework of the relativistic distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA), we investigate the sensitivity of the analyzing power - for exclusive proton knockout from the 3s$_{1/2}$, 2d$_{3/2}$ and 2d$_{5/2}$ states in $^{208}$Pb, at an incident laboratory kinetic energy of 202 MeV, and for coincident coplanar scattering angles ($28.0^{\circ}$, $-54.6^{\circ}$) - to different distorting optical potentials, finite-range (FR) versus zero-range (ZR) approximations to the DWIA, as well as medium-modified coupling constants and meson masses. Results are also compared to the nonrelativistic DWIA predictions based on the Schr\"{o}dinger equation. Whereas the nonrelativistic model fails severely, both ZR and FR relativistic DWIA models provide an excellent description of the data. For the FR predictions, it is necessary to invoke a 20% reduction of sigma-nucleon and omega-nucleon coupling constants as well as for $\sigma$-, $\rho$- and $\omega$-meson masses, by the nuclear medium. On the other hand, the ZR predictions suggest that the strong interaction in the nuclear medium is adequately represented by the free nucleon-nucleon interaction associated with the impulse approximation. We also demonstrate that, although the analyzing power is relatively insensitive to the use different relativistic global optical potential parameter sets, the prominent oscillatory behavior of this observable is largely attributed to distortion of the scattering wave functions relative to their plane wave values.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Relativistic predictions of spin observables for exclusive proton knockout reactions

Within the framework of the relativistic distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA), we investigate the sensitivity of complete sets of polarization transfer observables for exclusive proton knockout from the 3s$_{1/2}$, 2d$_{3/2}$ and 2d$_{5/2}$ states in $^{208}$Pb, at an incident laboratory kinetic energy of 202 MeV, and for coincident coplanar scattering angles ($28.0^{\circ}$, $-54.6^{\circ}$), to different distorting optical potentials, finite-range (FR) versus zero-range (ZR) approximations to the DWIA, as well as medium-modified meson-nucleon coupling constants and meson masses. Results are also compared to the nonrelativistic DWIA predictions based on the Schr\"{o}dinger equation.Comment: Submitted for publication to Physicical Review C, 23 pages, 7 figure

Pygmy dipole resonance in 208Pb

Scattering of protons of several hundred MeV is a promising new spectroscopic tool for the study of electric dipole strength in nuclei. A case study of 208Pb shows that at very forward angles J^pi = 1- states are strongly populated via Coulomb excitation. A separation from nuclear excitation of other modes is achieved by a multipole decomposition analysis of the experimental cross sections based on theoretical angular distributions calculated within the quasiparticle-phonon model. The B(E1) transition strength distribution is extracted for excitation energies up to 9 MeV, i.e., in the region of the so-called pygmy dipole resonance (PDR). The Coulomb-nuclear interference shows sensitivity to the underlying structure of the E1 transitions, which allows for the first time an experimental extraction of the electromagnetic transition strength and the energy centroid of the PDR.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Complete electric dipole response and the neutron skin in 208Pb

A benchmark experiment on 208Pb shows that polarized proton inelastic scattering at very forward angles including 0{\deg} is a powerful tool for high-resolution studies of electric dipole (E1) and spin magnetic dipole (M1) modes in nuclei over a broad excitation energy range to test up-to-date nuclear models. The extracted E1 polarizability leads to a neutron skin thickness r_skin = 0.156+0.025-0.021 fm in 208Pb derived within a mean-field model [Phys. Rev. C 81, 051303 (2010)], thereby constraining the symmetry energy and its density dependence, relevant to the description of neutron stars.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, revised mansucrip

Dipole polarizability of 120Sn and nuclear energy density functionals

The electric dipole strength distribution in 120Sn between 5 and 22 MeV has been determined at RCNP Osaka from a polarization transfer analysis of proton inelastic scattering at E_0 = 295 MeV and forward angles including 0{\deg}. Combined with photoabsorption data an electric dipole polarizability \alpha_D(120Sn) = 8.93(36) fm^3 is extracted. The dipole polarizability as isovector observable par excellence carries direct information on the nuclear symmetry energy and its density dependence. The correlation of the new value with the well established \alpha_D(208Pb) serves as a test of its prediction by nuclear energy density functionals (EDFs). Models based on modern Skyrme interactions describe the data fairly well while most calculations based on relativistic Hamiltonians cannot.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Low-energy electric dipole response in 120Sn

The electric dipole strength in 120Sn has been extracted from proton inelastic scattering experiments at E_p = 295 MeV and at forward angles including 0 degree. Below neutron threshoild it differs from the results of a 120Sn(gamma,gamma') experiment and peaks at an excitation energy of 8.3 MeV. The total strength corresponds to 2.3(2)% of the energy-weighted sum rule and is more than three times larger than what is observed with the (gamma,gamma') reaction. This implies a strong fragmentation of the E1 strength and/or small ground state branching ratios of the excited 1- states.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

α Clustering in Si 28 probed through the identification of high-lying 0+ states

Background: Aspects of the nuclear structure of light α-conjugate nuclei have long been associated with nuclear clustering based on α particles and heavier α-conjugate systems such as C12 and O16. Such structures are associated with strong deformation corresponding to superdeformed or even hyperdeformed bands. Superdeformed bands have been identified in Ca40 and neighboring nuclei and find good description within shell model, mean-field, and α-cluster models. The utility of the α-cluster description may be probed further by extending such studies to more challenging cases comprising lighter α-conjugate nuclei such as Mg24, Si28, and S32. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to look for the number and energy of isoscalar 0+ states in Si28. These states are the potential bandheads for superdeformed bands in Si28 corresponding to the exotic structures of Si28. Of particular interest is locating the 0+ bandhead of the previously identified superdeformed band in Si28. Methods: α-particle inelastic scattering from a Sinat target at very forward angles including 0 has been performed at the iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences in South Africa. Scattered particles corresponding to the excitation energy region of 6 to 14 MeV were momentum-analysed in the K600 magnetic spectrometer and detected at the focal plane using two multiwire drift chambers and two plastic scintillators. Results: Several 0+ states have been identified above 9 MeV in Si28. A newly identified 9.71 MeV 0+ state is a strong candidate for the bandhead of the previously discussed superdeformed band. The multichannel dynamical symmetry of the semimicroscopic algebraic model predicts the spectrum of the excited 0+ states. The theoretical prediction is in good agreement with the experimental finding, supporting the assignment of the 9.71-MeV state as the bandhead of a superdeformed band. Conclusion: Excited isoscalar 0+ states in Si28 have been identified. The number of states observed in the present experiment shows good agreement with the prediction of the multichannel dynamical symmetry

Characterization of the proposed 4-α cluster state candidate in O 16

The O16(α,α′) reaction was studied at θlab=0 at an incident energy of Elab=200 MeV using the K600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS. Proton decay and α decay from the natural parity states were observed in a large-acceptance silicon strip detector array at backward angles. The coincident charged-particle measurements were used to characterize the decay channels of the 06+ state in O16 located at Ex=15.097(5) MeV. This state is identified by several theoretical cluster calculations to be a good candidate for the 4-α cluster state. The results of this work suggest the presence of a previously unidentified resonance at Ex≈15 MeV that does not exhibit a 0+ character. This unresolved resonance may have contaminated previous observations of the 06+ state