Dense Hadronic Matter Research Articles

Electrical and thermal conductivities of hot and dense hadronic matter

We estimate the electrical and thermal conductivities of hot and dense hadronic matter in the relaxation time approximation of the Boltzmann equation. We estimate the thermodynamical quantities of hot and dense hadronic matter within the ambit of the excluded volume hadron resonance gas model. The relaxation time for all the hadrons is estimated assuming the constant cross section with uniform as well as mass dependent hard-core radius. We compare our results with various existing results. Finally we give an estimate of electrical and thermal conductivities in the context of heavy ion collision experiments.

NA61/SHINE Experiment—Program beyond 2020

The fixed-target NA61/SHINE experiment (SPS CERN) looks for the critical point (CP) of strongly interacting matter and the properties of the onset of deconfinement. It is a scan of measurements of particle spectra and fluctuations in proton–proton, proton–nucleus, and nucleus–nucleus interactions as a function of collision energy and system size. This gives unique possibilities to researching critical properties of the dense hot hadronic matter created in the collision process. New measurements and their objectives, related to the third stage of the experiment after 2020, are presented and discussed here.

Catalysis of partial chiral symmetry restoration by Δ matter

We study the phase structure of dense hadronic matter including $\Delta(1232)$ as well as N(939) based on the parity partner structure, where the baryons have their chiral partners with a certain amount of chiral invariant masses. We show that, in symmetric matter, $\Delta$ enters into matter in the density region of about one to four times of normal nuclear matter density, $\rho_B \sim 1 - 4\rho_0$. The onset density of $\Delta$ matter depends on the chiral invariant mass of $\Delta$, $m_{\Delta0}$: The lager $m_{\Delta0}$, the bigger the onset density. The $\Delta$ matter of $\rho_B \sim 1 - 4\rho_0$ is unstable due to the existence of $\Delta$, and the stable $\Delta$-nucleon matter is realized at about $\rho_B \sim 4\rho_0$, i.e., the phase transition from nuclear matter to $\Delta$-nucleon matter is of first order for small $m_{\Delta0}$, and it is of second order for large $m_{\Delta0}$. We find that, associated with the phase transition, the chiral condensate changes very rapidly, i.e., the chiral symmetry restoration is accelerated by \Delta matter. As a result of the accelerations, there appear $N^*$(1535) and $\Delta$(1700), which are the chiral partners to N(939) and ${\Delta}$(1232), in high density matter, signaling the partial chiral symmetry restoration. Furthermore, we find that complete chiral symmetry restoration itself is delayed by $\Delta$ matter. We also calculate the effective masses, pressure and symmetry energy to study how the transition to $\Delta$ matter affects such physical quantities. We observe that the physical quantities change drastically at the transition density.

Thermalization of dense hadronic matter in Au + Au collisions at energies available at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research

The conditions of local thermodynamic equilibrium of baryons (nonstrange, strange) and mesons (strange) are presented for central Au + Au collisions at Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) energies using the microscopic transport model UrQMD. The net particle density, longitudinal-to-transverse pressure anisotropy, and inverse slope parameters of the energy spectra of nonstrange and strange hadrons are calculated inside a cell in the central region within rapidity window $|y|l1.0$ at different time steps after the collisions. We observed that the strangeness content is dominated by baryons at all energies; however, contributions from mesons become significant at higher energies. The time scale obtained from local pressure (momentum) isotropization and thermalization of energy spectra are nearly equal and found to decrease with increase in laboratory energy. The equilibrium thermodynamic properties of the system are obtained with a statistical thermal model. The time evolution of the entropy densities at FAIR energies are found to be very similar to the ideal hydrodynamic behavior at top Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) energy.

An example of the interplay of nonextensivity and dynamics in the description of QCD matter

Using a simple quasi-particle model of QCD matter, presented some time ago in the literature, in which interactions are modelled by some effective fugacities z, we investigate the interplay between the dynamical content of fugacities z and effects induced by nonextensivity in situations when this model is used in a nonextensive environment characterized by some nonextensive parameter q $\neq$ 1 (for the usual extensive case q=1). This allows for a better understanding of the role of nonextensivity in the more complicated descriptions of dense hadronic and QCD matter recently presented (in which dynamics is defined by a lagrangian, the form of which is specific to a given model).

Nuclear matter physics at NICA

The exploration of the QCD phase diagram is one of the most exciting and challenging projects of modern nuclear physics. In particular, the investigation of nuclear matter at high baryon densities offers the opportunity to find characteristic structures such as a first-order phase transition with a region of phase coexistence and a critical endpoint. The experimental discovery of these prominent landmarks of the QCD phase diagram would be a major breakthrough in our understanding of the properties of nuclear matter. Equally important is the quantitative experimental information on the properties of hadrons in dense matter which may shed light on chiral symmetry restoration and the origin of hadron masses. Worldwide, substantial efforts at the major heavy-ion accelerators are devoted to the clarification of these fundamental questions, and new dedicated experiments are planned at future facilities like CBM at FAIR in Darmstadt and MPD at NICA/JINR in Dubna. In this article the perspectives for MPD at NICA will be discussed.

Radial oscillation of compact stars in the presence of magnetic field

Compact stars are classified into three categories: neutron stars (NSs), quark stars (QSs) and hybrid stars (HSs). Stars having only hadronic matter are NSs, QSs having only quark matter up to u, d and s quarks and stars having quark core surrounded by a mixed matter (hadronic matter and quark matter) followed by hadronic matter are HSs. The mixed matter is well distributed to both hadron and quark matters. A huge magnetic field is predicted in the core of the neutron star and is observed in the surface of the neutron star. We study the effect of such huge magnetic field in the matter inside the compact objects basically the equation of state (EOS) of the matters. Since matter inside the star are very dense both hadronic and quark matter, we consider relativistic mean field theory in the hadronic matter and simple MIT bag model in the quark matter in the presence of strong magnetic field. We calculate the phase transition between hadronic and quark phases, maximum mass and eigenfrequencies of radial pulsation of NS, HS and QS in the presence of such a huge magnetic field. The mixed phase is constructed by using Glendenning conjecture in between hadron and quark phases. We find in the presence of magnetic field, the EOS in both matter becomes soft. As a result, the maximum mass is reduced and the period of oscillation is changed significantly and there is a sudden dip in the period of oscillations in the HS, which signifies the transition from one to another matter.

Neutron stars: Cosmic laboratories for matter under extreme conditions

The true nature and the internal constitution of the compact stars known as neutron stars (NSs) is one of the most fascinating enigma in modern astrophysics. We discuss some of the present models for the internal structure of NSs and the connection with the properties of ultra dense hadronic matter. In particular, we discuss the role of strangeness on the equation of state and the implications of the measurement of 2 solar mass NSs in PSR J1614-2230 and PSR J0348+0432.

Upgrade of the ALICE Inner Tracking System

ALICE detector was constructed to study the properties of hot and dense hadronic matter formed in relativistic nuclear collisions. During the second long LHC shutdown in 2019-2020, the collaboration plans to upgrade the current vertex detector, the Inner Tracking System (ITS), in order to increase the reconstruction accuracy of secondary vertices and to lower the threshold of particle transverse momentum measurement. The upgrade strategy of ITS is based on the application of new Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) designed in 0.18 μm CMOS technology. The 50 μm thick chip consists of a single silicon die incorporating a 0.18 μm high-resistivity silicon epitaxial layer (sensor active volume) and matrix of charge collection diodes (pixels) with readout electronics. Radiation hardness of the upgraded ITS is one of the crucial moments in the overall performance of the system. A wide set of MAPS structures with different read-out circuits was produced and is being studied by the ALICE collaboration to optimize the pixel sensor functionality. An overview of the ALICE ITS upgrade and the expected performance improvement will be presented together with selected results from a campaign that includes several irradiation and beam tests.

Maximum pulsar mass, equation of state and structure of neutron-star cores

The structure of neutron stars is determined by the equation of state of dense matter in their interiors. Brief review of the equation of state from neutron star surface to its center is presented. Recent discovery of two two-solar-mass pulsars puts interesting constraints on the poorly known equation of state of neutron-star cores for densities greater than normal nuclear matter density. Namely, this equation of state has to be stiff enough to yield maximum allowable mass of neutron stars greater than two solar masses. There are many models of neutron stars cores involving exclusively nucleons that satisfy this constraint. However, for neutron-star models based on recent realistic baryon interaction, and allowing for the presence of hyperons, the hyperon softening of the equation of state yields maximum masses significantly lower than two solar masses. Proposed ways out from this ”hyperon puzzle” are presented. They require a very fine tuning of parameters of dense hadronic matter and quark matter models. Consequences for the mass-radius relation for neutron stars are illustrated. A summary of the present situation and possible perspectives/challenges, as well as possible observational tests, are given.

Dissipative properties of hot and dense hadronic matter in an excluded-volume hadron resonance gas model

We estimate dissipative properties viz: shear and bulk viscosities of hadronic matter using relativistic Boltzmann equation in relaxation time approximation within ambit of excluded volume hadron resonance gas (EHRG) model. We find that at zero baryon chemical potential the shear viscosity to entropy ratio ($\eta/s$) decreases with temperature while at finite baryon chemical potential this ratio shows same behavior as a function of temperature but reaches close to Kovtun-Son-Starinets (KSS) bound. Further along chemical freezout curve, ratio $\eta/s$ is almost constant apart from small initial monotonic rise. This observation may have some relevance to the experimental finding that the differential elliptic flow of charged hadrons does not change considerably at lower center of mass energy. We further find that bulk viscosity to entropy density ($\zeta/s$) decreases with temperature while this ratio has higher value at finite baryon chemical potential at higher temperature. Along freezout curve $\zeta/s$ decreases monotonically at lower center of mass energy and then saturates.

Hypernuclei and the hyperon problem in neutron stars

The likely presence of $\Lambda$ baryons in dense hadronic matter tends to soften the equation of state to an extend that the observed heaviest neutron stars are difficult to explain. We analyze this "hyperon problem" with a phenomenological approach. First, we review what can be learned about the interaction of $\Lambda$ particle with dense matter from the observed hypernuclei and extend this phenomenological analysis to asymmetric matter. We add to this the current knowledge on non-strange dense matter, including its uncertainties, to conclude that the interaction between $\Lambda$s and dense matter has to become repulsive at densities below three times the nuclear saturation density.

Asymmetric nuclear matter in a parity doublet model with hidden local symmetry

We construct a model to describe dense hadronic matter at zero and finite temperature, based on the parity doublet model of DeTar and Kunihiro, with including the iso-singlet scalar meson $\sigma$ as well as $\rho$ and $\omega$ mesons. We show that, by including a six-point interaction of $\sigma$ meson, the model reasonably reproduces the properties of the normal nuclear matter with the chiral invariant nucleon mass $m_0$ in the range from $500~{\rm MeV}$ to $900~{\rm MeV}$. Furthermore, we study the phase diagram based on the model, which shows that the value of the chiral condensate drops at the liquid-gas phase transition point and at the chiral phase transition point. We also study asymmetric nuclear matter and find that the first order phase transition for the liquid-gas phase transition disappears in asymmetric matter and that the critical density for the chiral phase transition at non-zero density becomes smaller for larger asymmetry.

Stable solitary waves in super dense plasmas at external magnetic fields

Propagation of localized waves in a Fermi-Dirac distributed super dense matter at the presence of strong external magnetic fields is studied using the reductive perturbation method. Previous works indicate that localized waves break down in unmagnetized super dense hadronic matter. We have shown that stable solitons can be created in such non-relativistic fluids in the presence of an external magnetic field. Such solitary waves are governed by the Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation. Properties of solitonic solutions are studied in media with different values of back ground mass density and strength of magnetic field.

Hydrodynamic Simulations of the Combustion of Dense Hadronic Matter into Quark Matter

We perform special-relativistic one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations to study the combustion of hadronic matter into quark matter in neutron star conditions. For the equation of state, we use a relativistic mean-field Walecka model for hadronic matter and the MIT bag model for quark matter. We study the growth of a small core of quark matter surrounded by hadronic matter at constant density, where both regions are initially at rest. We show that a strong detonation front propagates into hadronic matter converting it into quark matter. We find that the timescale for the conversion of a compact star is around tens of microseconds.

Transport properties of hadronic matter in magnetic field

We study the effect of magnetic field on the transport properties like shear and bulk viscosities of hot and dense hadronic matter within hadron resonance gas model. We estimate the bulk viscosity using low energy theorems for bilocal correlators of the energy–momentum tensor generalized to finite temperature, density and magnetic field. We use Gaussian ansatz for the spectral function at low frequency. We estimate shear viscosity coefficient using molecular kinetic theory. We find that vacuum contribution due to finite magnetic field dominates the bulk viscosity (ζ) for the temperatures up to 0.1 GeV and increases with magnetic field while ratio ζ/s decreases with magnetic field. We also find that shear viscosity coefficient of hadronic matter decreases with magnetic field.

In Medium Properties of Charmed Strange Mesons in Dense Hadron ic Matter

The medium modifications of the charmed strange mesons in the dense hadronic matter are investigated within chiral SU(4) model. The charmed strange meson properties modifies due to their interactions with the nucleons, hyperons and the scalar mesons (scalar-isoscalar mesons (σ, ζ), scalar isovector meson (δ)) in the dense hadronic medium. The various parameters used in the chiral model are obtained by fitting the vacuum baryon masses and saturation properties of nuclear matter. The non-linear coupled equations of the scalar fields are solved to obtain their baryon density, isospin and strangeness dependent values. Furthermore, the dispersion relations are derived for charmed strange mesons. Effects of isospin asymmetry and strangeness on the energies of charmed strange mesons are investigated. The in medium properties of charmed strange mesons can be particularly relevant to the experiments with neutron rich beams at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at GSI, Germany, as well as to experiments at the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) laboratory, USA. The present study of the in medium properties of charmed strange mesons will be of direct relevance for the observables from the compressed baryonic matter, resulting from the heavy ion collision experiments.

Phenomenology of quarkyonic matter in heavy-ion collisions

We give an overview of the possible phase structure of dense hadronic matter with T < Tc and μQ ≥ ΛQCD, arguing for the possibility of a percolating transition in the T, μQ, Nc space. We show that matter after this phase transition has many properties associated with "quarkyonic" matter. Finally, we show how the existence of this phase can be experimentally investigated using electromagnetic signatures. The details of these calculations are in [1, 2, 3, 4].

Spectral functions from the functional renormalization group

In this article we wish to present a new method to obtain spectral functions at finite temperature and density from the Functional Renormalization Group (FRG). The FRG offers a powerful non-perturbative tool to deal with phase transitions in strong-interaction matter under extreme conditions and their fluctuation properties. Based on a thermodynamically consistent truncation we derive flow equations for pertinent two-point functions in Minkowski space-time. We demonstrate the feasibility of the method by calculating mesonic spectral functions in hot and dense hadronic matter using the quark-meson model as a simple example.

Reconstruction of π0 and η mesons via conversion method in Au+Au at 1.23AGeV with HADES

Lepton pairs emerging from decays of virtual photons are one of the most promising probes of dense hadronic matter. The HADES experiment at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt studies dielectron radiation as well as strangeness production in various reactions, i.e. proton, deuteron and heavy-ion. The understanding of the corresponding experimental results calls for supporting studies from various model calculations. For a more model independent understanding of the dilepton cocktail the production cross sections of particles created during the freeze-out is crucial. In this contribution we will present results from a two photon analysis of Au+Au in 1.23 GeV/u collisions providing information on π0 and η mesons. Therefore the capability of HADES to detect e+e− pairs from external conversion of real photons will be explained and first results will be shown.