Symmetry energy dependence of long timescale isospin transport

TL;DR

This study investigates how the symmetry energy influences long-timescale isospin transport in heavy-ion collisions, using simulations to connect isospin dynamics with nuclear symmetry energy properties.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the evolution of isospin asymmetry in dinuclear projectile-like fragments can be used to constrain the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy.

Findings

Long-lived dinuclear PLFs observed up to 800 fm/c.

Isospin transport rate depends on the symmetry energy slope.

Simulation results agree with experimental data.

Abstract

Isospin transport occurring within dinuclear projectile-like fragments (PLFs) produced in heavy- ion collisions is explored as a probe of the nuclear symmetry energy. Within the framework of the Constrained Molecular Dynamics model (CoMD), the existence of the long-lived dinuclear PLFs, for up to 800 fm/c, is observed. It is demonstrated that changes in the <N/Z> of the two fragments resulting from the breakup of the dinuclear PLF is due to isospin transport. The rate of the transport between the two fragments is shown to be dependent on the slope of the symmetry energy at saturation density. Comparison of the CoMD calculations with experimental data establish that the evolution of <N/Z> could be used to constrain the density dependence of the symmetry energy.