Proton-proton momentum correlation function as a probe of the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the proton-proton momentum correlation function in heavy-ion collisions is a sensitive probe of the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution, largely unaffected by other nuclear parameters.

Contribution

The paper introduces the use of proton-proton momentum correlation functions as an effective method to probe the high momentum tail of nucleon distributions in nuclear matter.

Findings

Proton-proton momentum correlation function responds to the high momentum tail.

Insensitive to symmetry energy and cutoff uncertainties.

Proposed as a new probe for high momentum nucleon distribution.

Abstract

Within an improved transport model, we examine effects of the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution induced by short-range correlations on the proton-proton momentum correlation function in $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions at 400 MeV/nucleon. It is found that the proton-proton momentum correlation function from preequilibrium emissions responds sensitively to the presence as well as fraction of nucleons in the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution, but is almost robustly insensitive to other factors including the symmetry energy and the uncertainty of cutoff value of nucleon effective high momentum. In terms of the sensitivity and clearness, we propose that the proton-proton momentum correlation function from preequilibrium emissions can be as an effective probe of the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution.