Density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy constrained by mean-field calculations

We establish a correlation for the symmetry energy at saturation density $S_{0}$, slope parameter $L$ and curvature parameter $K_{\text{sym}}$ based on widely different mean field interactions. With the help of this correlation and available empirical and theoretical information, the density dependent behavior around the saturation density is determined. We compare the results obtained with the present approach with those by other analyses. With this obtained density dependent behavior of the symmetry energy, the neutron skin thickness of $^{208}$Pb and some properties of neutron stars are investigated. In addition, it is found that the expression $S(\rho)=S_{0}(\rho /\rho_{0})^{\gamma}$ or $S(\rho)=12.5(\rho /\rho_{0}) ^{2/3}+C_{p}(\rho /\rho_{0}) ^{\gamma}$ does not reproduce the density dependence of the symmetry energy as predicted by the mean-field approach around nuclear saturation density.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Three-body force effect on the properties of neutron-rich nuclear matter

We review our research work in recent years on the properties of neutron-rich nuclear matter within the framework of the Brueckner theory extended to include a microscopic three-body force (TBF). We discuss specially the TBF effect on the equation of state and the singleparticle (s.p.) potentials. The TBF turns out to be crucial for describing the saturation properties of nuclear matter in nonrelativistic microscopic framework. The TBF effect on the EOS of neutron-rich nuclear matter is to result in a significant stiffening of its isovector part at supra-saturation densities. Within the Brueckner approach, the TBF may lead to a rearrangement contribution to the s.p. potentials, which enhances strongly the repulsion and momentum-dependence of the s.p. potentials at high densities and high momenta. Our results are also compared with the predictions by other ab initio approaches

Existence of nuclei with unusual neutron excess

Abstract A realistic model is suggested based on the quasiparticle Lagrange version of the self-consistent Finite Fermi Systems theory supplemented with the microscopically calculated surface parameters of the Landau–Migdal interaction amplitude. The latter are expressed in terms of the off-shell T -matrix of free NN -scattering and show a strong dependence on the chemical potential of a nucleus under consideration in the drip line vicinity. This effect could result in shifting the neutron drip line position to very large values of the neutron excess

On the distribution of rational points on ramified covers of abelian varieties

We prove new results on the distribution of rational points on ramified covers of abelian varieties over finitely generated fields $k$ of characteristic zero. For example, given a ramified cover $\pi : X \to A$, where $A$ is an abelian variety over $k$ with a dense set of $k$-rational points, we prove that there is a finite-index coset $C \subset A(k)$ such that $\pi(X(k))$ is disjoint from $C$. Our results do not seem to be in the range of other methods available at present; they confirm predictions coming from Lang's conjectures on rational points, and also go in the direction of an issue raised by Serre regarding possible applications to the Inverse Galois Problem. Finally, the conclusions of our work may be seen as a sharp version of Hilbert's irreducibility theorem for abelian varieties.Comment: 38 pages. Title changed. Introduction and abstract improved. No other changes. Comments more than welcome

Isospin-dependent pairing interaction from nuclear matter calculations

The isospin dependence of the effective pairing interaction is discussed on the basis of the Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer theory of superfluid asymmetric nuclear matter. It is shown that the energy gap, calculated within the mean field approximation in the range from symmetric nuclear matter to pure neutron matter, is not linearly dependent on the symmetry parameter owing to the nonlinear structure of the gap equation. Moreover, the construction of a zero-range effective pairing interaction compatible with the neutron and proton gaps in homogeneous matter is investigated, along with some recent proposals of isospin dependence tested on the nuclear data table

Another approach to the in-medium chiral condensates

Abstract A new formalism to calculate the in-medium chiral condensate is presented. At lower densities, this approach leads to a linear condensate. If it is compatible with the famous model-independent result, the pion–nucleon sigma term could be six times the average current mass of light quarks. The modification due to QCD-like interactions may, compared with the linear extrapolation, slow the decreasing speed of the condensate with increasing densities

Cover crops for managing weeds, soil chemical fertility and nutritional status of organically grown orange orchard in Sicily

Cover crops can offer significant advantages in the agronomic management of citrus orchards in Mediterranean environments. Therefore, a three-year research was conducted in eastern Sicily aimed at studying the effects of four cover crop sequences (Sinapis arvensis-Trigonella foenum-graecum-T. foenum-graecum; Medicago scutellata-Avena sativa-Lolium perenne; Vicia faba minor-A. sativa-A. sativa; A. sativa-V. faba. minor-L. perenne) on weeds, major soil chemical properties and nutritional status of an organically grown orange orchard. The results highlighted that, among the studied cover crop sequences, Vicia faba-Avena-Avena was the most beneficial for weeds control within the orchard (92%, of cover crop cover, and 586 and 89 g DW m–2 of cover crop aboveground biomass and weeds aboveground biomass, respectively). Overall, the chemical fertility of the soil was positively influenced. In particular, it was observed an increase of the content of total nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soil by both Sinapis-Trigonella-Trigonella (0.75 g kg–1 and 59.0 mg kg–1, respectively) and Vicia faba-Avena-Avena (0.70 g kg–1 and 56.0 mg kg–1, respectively) cover crop sequences. Medicago-Avena-Lolium sequence seemed to be the most useful to ensure a better nutritional status of the orange orchard

Reconstructing Holocene landscape and environmental changes at Lago Rogaguado, Bolivian Amazon

Funder: University of CambridgeAbstractWe performed geochemical analyses of two lake sediment cores (1.25 and 1.5 m long) from Lago Rogaguado, which is a large (315 km2) and shallow lake in the Llanos de Moxos, Bolivian Amazon, to investigate Holocene environmental changes based on a multi-proxy dataset (XRF, density, grain size, C:N, and macrocharcoal). One of the two cores provides a history of environmental changes in the Llanos de Moxos from 8100 cal BP until present, which supplements previously published pollen and microscopic charcoal records. Our analyses indicate lake expansion at 5800 cal BP, which may relate to tectonic activity. This was followed by further increasing lake levels, peaking at approximately 1050–400 cal BP, which supports increasingly wetter conditions in the Llanos de Moxos after the mid-Holocene. A fourfold increase in macroscopic charcoal accumulation rate and a more than fivefold increase in sedimentation rates supports anthropogenic fire activity at around 1450 cal BP (500 CE), suggesting that pre-Columbian populations used fire to actively manage the landscape during a period of maximum lake levels around Lago Rogaguado. From 400–100 cal BP, higher C:N, larger grain sizes and peaks in macroscopic charcoal accumulation rates suggest increased watershed erosion associated with increased biomass burning, possibly related to intensified land use.</jats:p