Total Baryon Number Research Articles

Bulk medium properties of heavy-ion collisions from the beam energy scan with a multistage hydrodynamic model

I introduce a method to reconstruct full rapidity distributions of charged particle multiplicity and net proton yields, crucial for constraining the longitudinal dynamics of nuclear matter created in the beam energy scan program. Employing rapidity distributions within a multistage hydrodynamic model calibrated for Au+Au collisions at sNN=7.7–200GeV, I estimate the total energy and baryon number deposited into the collision fireball, offering insights into initial dynamics and the identification of nuclear remnants. I explore the potential of rapidity-dependent measurements in probing equations of state at finite chemical potentials. Furthermore, I compare the freeze-out parameters derived from both hydrodynamics and thermal models, highlighting that the parameters extracted via thermal models represent averaged properties across rapidities. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Matter-antimatter asymmetry and dark matter stability from baryon number conservation

There is currently no evidence for a baryon asymmetry in our universe. Instead, cosmological observations have only demonstrated the existence of a quark-antiquark asymmetry, which does not necessarily imply a baryon asymmetric Universe, since the baryon number of the dark sector particles is unknown. In this paper we discuss a framework where the total baryon number of the Universe is equal to zero, and where the observed quark-antiquark asymmetry arises from neutron portal interactions with a dark sector fermion N that carries baryon number. In order to render a baryon symmetric universe throughout the whole cosmological history, we introduce a complex scalar χ, with opposite baryon number and with the same initial abundance as N. Notably, due to the baryon number conservation, χ is absolutely stable and could have an abundance today equal to the observed dark matter abundance. Therefore, in this simple framework, the existence of a quark-antiquark asymmetry is intimately related to the existence (and the stability) of dark matter.

Model dependence of the number of participant nucleons and observable consequences in heavy-ion collisions

The centrality determination and the estimated fluctuations of number of participant nucleons N_{part} in Au–Au collisions at 1.23 AGeV beam kinetic energy suffers from severe model dependencies. Comparing the Glauber Monte Carlo (MC) and UrQMD transport models, it is shown that N_{part} is a strongly model dependant quantity. In addition, for any given centrality class, Glauber MC and UrQMD predicts drastically different N_{part} distributions. The impact parameter b and the number of charged particles N_{ch} on the other hand are much more correlated and give an almost model independent centrality estimator. It is suggested that the total baryon number balance, from integrated rapidity distributions, can be used instead of N_{part} in experiments. Preliminary HADES data show significant differences to both, UrQMD simulations and STAR data in this respect.

Dark matter to baryon ratio from scalar triplets decay in type-II seesaw

We propose a minimal model for the cosmic coincidence problem Omega _mathrm{DM}/Omega _B sim 5 and neutrino mass in a type-II seesaw scenario. We extend the standard model of particle physics with a mathrm SU(2) singlet leptonic Dirac fermion chi , which represents the candidate of dark matter (DM), and two triplet scalars Delta _{1,2} with hierarchical masses. In the early Universe, the CP violating out-of-equilibrium decay of lightest Delta generates a net B-L asymmetry in the visible sector (comprising of SM fields), where B and L represents the total baryon and lepton number respectively. A part of this asymmetry gets transferred to the dark sector (comprising of DM chi ) through a dimension eight operator which conserves B-L. Above the electroweak phase transition, the B-L asymmetry of the visible sector gets converted to a net B-asymmetry by the B+L violating sphalerons, while the B-L asymmetry of the dark sector remains untouched which we see today as relics of DM. We show that the observed DM abundance can be explained for a DM mass about 8 GeV. We then introduce an additional singlet scalar field phi which mixes with the SM-Higgs to annihilate the symmetric component of the DM resonantly which requires the singlet scalar mass to be twice the DM mass, i.e. around 16 GeV, which can be searched at collider experiments. In our model, the active neutrinos also get small masses by the induced vacuum expectation value (vev) of the triplet scalars Delta _{1,2}. In the later part of the paper we discuss all the constraints on model parameters coming from invisible Higgs decay, Higgs signal strength, DM direct detection and relic density of DM.

Baryonic content of the pion

The baryon form factor of charged pions arises since isospin symmetry is broken. We obtain estimates for this basic property in two phenomenological ways: from simple constituent quark models with unequal up and down quark masses, and from fitting to e+e−→π+π− data. All our methods yield a positive π+ baryon mean square radius of (0.03−0.04fm)2. Hence, a picture emerges where the outer region has a net baryon, and the inner region a net antibaryon density, both compensating each other such that the total baryon number is zero. For π− the effect is opposite.

Radiation from matter-antimatter annihilation in the quark nugget model of dark matter

We revisit the properties of positron cloud in quark nugget (QN) model of dark matter (DM). In this model, dark matter particles are represented by compact composite objects composed of a large number of quarks or antiquarks with total baryon number $B\sim 10^{24}$. These particles have a very small number density in our galaxy which makes them "dark" to all DM detection experiments and cosmological observations. In this scenario, anti-quark nuggets play special role because they may manifest themselves in annihilation with visible matter. We study electron-positron annihilation in collisions of free electrons, hydrogen and helium gases with the positron cloud of anti-quark nuggets. We show that a strong electric field of anti-quark nuggets destroys positronium, hydrogen and helium atoms and prevents electrons from penetrating deeply in positron cloud, thus reducing the probability of the electron-positron annihilation by nearly five orders of magnitude. Therefore, electron annihilation in the positron cloud of QNs cannot explain the observed by SPI/INTEGRAL detector photons with energy 511 keV in the center of our galaxy. These photons may be explained by a different mechanism in which QN captures protons which annihilate with anti-quarks in the quark core or transform to neutrons thus reducing the QN core charge and increasing QN temperature. As a result QN loses positrons to space which annihilate with electrons there. Even more positrons are produced from charged pions resulting from the proton annihilation. Another manifestation may be emission of photons from $\pi^0$ decays.

Gravo-thermal catastrophe in gravitational collapse and energy progenitor of Gamma-Ray Bursts

We study the homologous collapse of stellar nuclear core, the virial theorem for hadron collisional relaxations, and photon productions from hadron collisions. We thus show the gravo-thermal dynamical process that transforms gravitational energy to photon energy. The process is energetically and entropically favourable. The total baryon number conservation, Euler equation for energy-momentum conservation and Poisson's equation for gravitational potential are adopted to describe homologous core collapses. The virial theorem determines the hadron collision energy gain from gravitational potential. The hadronic photon production rate determines the photon energy density. The time scales of macroscopic and microscopic processes are studied to verify approximations. As a result, we show the formation of opaque photon-pair spheres, whose total energy, size, temperature and number density, accounting for the main energetic features of Gamma-Ray Burst progenitors. We obtain the intrinsic correlations of these quantities. They depend only on the averaged thermal index of the stellar core. We discuss the possibility to confront them with observational data.

Detection capabilities of the Athena X-IFU for the warm-hot intergalactic medium using gamma-ray burst X-ray afterglows

At low redshifts, the observed baryonic density falls far short of the total number of baryons predicted. Cosmological simulations suggest that these baryons reside in filamentary gas structures, known as the warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM). As a result of the high temperatures of these filaments, the matter is highly ionised such that it absorbs and emits far-UV and soft X-ray photons. Athena, the proposed European Space Agency X-ray observatory, aims to detect the “missing” baryons in the WHIM up to redshifts of z = 1 through absorption in active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow spectra, allowing for the study of the evolution of these large-scale structures of the Universe. This work simulates WHIM filaments in the spectra of GRB X-ray afterglows with Athena using the SImulation of X-ray TElescopes framework. We investigate the feasibility of their detection with the X-IFU instrument, through O VII (E = 573 eV) and O VIII (E = 674 eV) absorption features, for a range of equivalent widths imprinted onto GRB afterglow spectra of observed starting fluxes ranging between 10−12 and 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1, in the 0.3−10 keV energy band. The analyses of X-IFU spectra by blind line search show that Athena will be able to detect O VII−O VIII absorption pairs with EWO VII > 0.13 eV and EWO VIII > 0.09 eV for afterglows with F > 2 × 10−11 erg cm−2 s−1. This allows for the detection of ≈ 45−137 O VII−O VIII absorbers during the four-year mission lifetime. The work shows that to obtain an O VII−O VIII detection of high statistical significance, the local hydrogen column density should be limited at NH < 8 × 1020 cm−2.

Baryogenesis and dark matter from B mesons

We present a new mechanism of Baryogenesis and dark matter production in which both the dark matter relic abundance and the baryon asymmetry arise from neutral $B$ meson oscillations and subsequent decays. This set-up is testable at hadron colliders and $B$-factories. In the early Universe, decays of a long lived particle produce $B$ mesons and anti-mesons out of thermal equilibrium. These mesons/anti-mesons then undergo CP violating oscillations before quickly decaying into visible and dark sector particles. Dark matter will be charged under Baryon number so that the visible sector baryon asymmetry is produced without violating the total baryon number of the Universe. The produced baryon asymmetry will be directly related to the leptonic charge asymmetry in neutral $B$ decays; an experimental observable. Dark matter is stabilized by an unbroken discrete symmetry, and proton decay is simply evaded by kinematics. We will illustrate this mechanism with a model that is unconstrained by di-nucleon decay, does not require a high reheat temperature, and would have unique experimental signals -- a positive leptonic asymmetry in $B$ meson decays, a new decay of $B$ mesons into a baryon and missing energy, and a new decay of $b$-flavored baryons into mesons and missing energy. These three observables are testable at current and upcoming collider experiments, allowing for a distinct probe of this mechanism.

Neutron Star Cooling with a Dynamic Stellar Structure

Abstract The observations combined with theory of neutron star (NS) cooling play a crucial role in achieving the intriguing information of the stellar interior, such as the equation of state, composition, and superfluidity of dense matter. The traditional NS cooling theory is based on the assumption that the stellar structure does not change with time. The validity of such a static description has not yet been confirmed. We generalize the theory to a dynamic treatment; that is, continuous change of the NS structure (rearrangement of the stellar density distribution with the total baryon number fixed) as the decrease of temperature during the thermal evolution, is taken into account. It is found that the practical thermal energy used for the cooling is slightly lower than that estimated in a static situation, and hence the cooling of NSs is accelerated correspondingly but the effect is rather weak. Therefore, the static treatment is a good approximation in the calculations of NS cooling.

Observations of the missing baryons in the warm-hot intergalactic medium.

It has been known for decades that the observed number of baryons in the local Universe falls about 30-40 per cent short1,2 of the total number of baryons predicted 3 by Big Bang nucleosynthesis, as inferred4,5 from density fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background and seen during the first 2-3 billion years of the Universe in the so-called 'Lyman α forest'6,7 (a dense series of intervening HI Lyman α absorption lines in the optical spectra of background quasars). A theoretical solution to this paradox locates the missing baryons in the hot and tenuous filamentary gas between galaxies, known as the warm-hot intergalactic medium. However, it is difficult to detect them there because the largest by far constituent of this gas-hydrogen-is mostly ionized and therefore almost invisible in far-ultraviolet spectra with typical signal-to-noise ratios8,9. Indeed, despite large observational efforts, only a few marginal claims of detection have been made so far2,10. Here we report observations of two absorbers of highly ionized oxygen (OVII) in the high-signal-to-noise-ratio X-ray spectrum of a quasar at a redshift higher than 0.4. These absorbers show no variability over a two-year timescale and have no associated cold absorption, making the assumption that they originate from the quasar's intrinsic outflow or the host galaxy's interstellar medium implausible. The OVII systems lie in regions characterized by large (four times larger than average 11 ) galaxy overdensities and their number (down to the sensitivity threshold of our data) agrees well with numerical simulation predictions for the long-sought warm-hot intergalactic medium. We conclude that the missing baryons have been found.

A note on black-hole physics, cosmic censorship, and the charge–mass relation of atomic nuclei

Arguing from the cosmic censorship principle, one of the fundamental cornerstones of black-hole physics, we have recently suggested the existence of a universal upper bound relating the maximal electric charge of a weakly self-gravitating system to its total mass: , where Z is the number of protons in the system, A is the total baryon (mass) number, and is the dimensionless fine-structure constant. In order to test the validity of this suggested bound, we here explore the functional relation of atomic nuclei as deduced from the Weizsäcker semi-empirical mass formula. It is shown that all atomic nuclei, including the meta-stable maximally charged ones, conform to the suggested charge–mass upper bound. Our results support the validity of the cosmic censorship conjecture in black-hole physics.

The pulsar PSR J0348-0432 and strange stars

The possible constraints on the equation of state for superdense baryonic matter to which an accurate measurement of the mass for the binary radio pulsar PSR J0348-0432 (M/M⊙ = 2.01 ± 0.04) leads have been determined. We use the bag model for strange quark matter (SQM), where the transition to the SQM state occurs at an energy density that does not exceed twice the density in atomic nuclei. Therefore, on the curve of massM for equilibrium superdense configurations versus central energy density ρ c (the M(ρ c ) curve), low-mass neutron stars and configurations consisting of SQM form one family in central density. The sets of three phenomenological bag constants (the vacuum pressure B, the quarkgluon interaction constant α c , and the strange quark mass ms) have been determined. Using them in the equation of state for SQM leads to maximum massesM max of equilibrium configurations greater than 2.01M ⊙ (M max ≥ 2.01M ⊙). For such equations of state for configurations withM max and M/M ⊙ = 2.01, we have calculated themass, the radius, the total number of baryons, and the redshift fromthe stellar surface as a function of the central energy density ρ c . It turns out that if we restrict the quark-gluon interaction constant α c , in terms of which the expansion is performed in the perturbation theory when determining the thermodynamic potentials Ω i , i = u, d, and s, to α c < 0.6, then, according to the derived equations of state, the above-mentioned pulsar can be a possible candidate for strange stars.

Maximum Mass of Strange Stars and Pulsars with the Most Accurately Measured Masses

Strange quark matter (SQM) is studied using a bag model in which the transition to the SQM state takes place at energy densities of no more than twice the density in atomic nuclei. Thus, low mass neutron stars with a configuration consisting of SQM form a single family on a plot of the mass M of equilibrium superdense configurations as a function of central energy density ρ c (the M(ρ c ) curve). The bag model considered here depends on three constants: the vacuum pressure B, the quark-gluon interaction constant α c , and the strange quark mass m s . Sets of values of these constants are determined, which if used in the equation of state for SQM yield a maximal mass M max of the equilibrium quark configurations which exceeds the recently accurately determined mass of 2.01M ⊙ for the binary radio pulsar PSR J0348+0432. The mass, radius, total baryon number, and red shift from the surface of the strange star are calculated for these configurations as a function of central energy density ρ c . The values of these integrated parameters are also calculated for each series with M max > 2.01M ⊙ for superdense configurations with masses of 2.01, 1.97, and 1.44 solar masses, which have been determined with great accuracy from observations. It turns out that, according to the resulting equations of state, all of the three pulsars with the most accurately measured masses, may be possible candidate strange stars.

Anisotropic pressure in the quark core of a strongly magnetized hybrid star

The impact of a strong magnetic field, varying with the total baryon number density, on thermodynamic properties of strange quark matter (SQM) in the core of a magnetized hybrid star is considered at zero temperature within the framework of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) bag model. It is clarified that the central magnetic field strength is bound from above by the value at which the derivative of the longitudinal pressure with respect to the baryon number density vanishes first somewhere in the quark core under varying the central field. Above this upper bound, the instability along the magnetic field is developed in magnetized SQM. The total energy density, longitudinal and transverse pressures are found as functions of the total baryon number density.

Magnetized strange quark matter in a mass-density-dependent model

We investigate the properties of strange quark matter (SQM) in a strong magnetic field with quark confinement by the density dependence of quark masses considering the total baryon number conservation, charge neutrality and chemical equilibrium. It is found that an additional term should appear in the pressure expression to maintain thermodynamic consistency. At fixed density, the energy density of magnetized SQM varies with the magnetic field strength. By increasing the field strength an energy minimum exists located at about 6×1019 Gauss when the density is fixed at two times the normal nuclear saturation density.

Stability of strange dwarfs: a comparison with observations

We study the stability of strange dwarfs, superdense stars with a small self-confining core (Mcore < 0.02M ⊙) containing strange quark matter and an extended crust consisting of atomic nuclei and degenerate electron gas. The mass and the radius of these stars are of the same order of magnitude as those of ordinary white dwarfs. It is shown that any study of their stability must examine the dependence of the mass on two variables, which can, for convenience, be taken to be the rest mass (total baryon number) of the quark core and the energy density ρtr of the crust at the surface of the quark core. The range of variation of these quantities over which strange dwarfs are stable is determined. This region is referred to as the stability valley for strange dwarfs. The mass and radius obtained from theoretical models of strange dwarfs are compared with observational data obtained through the HIPPARCOS program and the most probable candidate strange dwarfs are identified.

Baryon asymmetry, dark matter and local baryon number

We propose a new mechanism to understand the relation between baryon and dark matter asymmetries in the universe in theories where the baryon number is a local symmetry. In these scenarios the B−L asymmetry generated through a mechanism such as leptogenesis is transferred to the dark matter and baryonic sectors through sphalerons processes which conserve total baryon number. We show that it is possible to have a consistent relation between the dark matter relic density and the baryon asymmetry in the universe even if the baryon number is broken at the low scale through the Higgs mechanism. We also discuss the case where one uses the Stueckelberg mechanism to understand the conservation of baryon number in nature.

Anisotropic pressure in strange quark matter in the presence of a strong magnetic field

The thermodynamic properties of strange quark matter in strong magnetic fields H up to 1020 G are considered within the MIT bag model at zero temperature implying the constraints of total baryon number conservation, charge neutrality and chemical equilibrium. The pressure anisotropy, exhibited in the difference between the pressures along and perpendicular to the field direction, becomes essential at H > Hth, with the estimate 1017 < Hth ≲ 1018 G. The longitudinal pressure vanishes at the critical field Hc, which can be somewhat smaller or larger than 1018 G depending on the total baryon number density and bag pressure. As a result, longitudinal instability occurs in strange quark matter, which precludes: (1) a significant drop in the content of s quarks, which, otherwise could happen at H ∼ 1020 G; (2) the appearance of positrons in weak processes in a narrow interval near H ∼ 2 × 1019 G (replacing electrons). The occurrence of the longitudinal instability leaves the possibility only for electrons to reach a fully polarized state, while for all quark flavors the polarization remains mild even for fields near Hc. The anisotropic equation of state is determined under the conditions relevant to the interiors of magnetars.

Matter-antimatter asymmetry and dark matter from torsion

We propose a simple scenario which explains the observed matter-antimatter imbalance and the origin of dark matter in the Universe. We use the Einstein-Cartan-Sciama-Kibble theory of gravity which naturally extends general relativity to include the intrinsic spin of matter. Spacetime torsion produced by spin generates, in the classical Dirac equation, the Hehl-Datta term which is cubic in spinor fields. We show that under a charge-conjugation transformation this term changes sign relative to the mass term. A classical Dirac spinor and its charge conjugate therefore satisfy different field equations. Fermions in the presence of torsion have higher energy levels than antifermions, which leads to their decay asymmetry. Such a difference is significant only at extremely high densities that existed in the very early Universe. We propose that this difference caused a mechanism, according to which heavy fermions existing in such a Universe and carrying the baryon number decayed mostly to normal matter, whereas their antiparticles decayed mostly to hidden antimatter which forms dark matter. The conserved total baryon number of the Universe remained zero.