Light clusters in warm stellar matter: calibrating the cluster couplings

TL;DR

This paper models light cluster abundances in warm stellar matter using relativistic mean-field models, calibrating cluster couplings with experimental data to understand their behavior in dense nuclear environments.

Contribution

It introduces a method to incorporate light clusters as quasiparticles with calibrated meson couplings within relativistic mean-field models, considering in-medium effects.

Findings

Cluster abundances depend on model choice and experimental constraints.

Additional high-density experimental data are needed to determine cluster melting points.

Neutron-rich clusters like $^6$He significantly influence asymmetric matter properties.

Abstract

The abundances of light clusters within a formalism that considers in-medium effects are calculated using several relativistic mean-field models, with both density-dependent and density-independent couplings. Clusters are introduced as new quasiparticles, with a modified coupling to the scalar meson field. A comparison with experimental data from heavy ion collisions allows settling the model dependence of the results and the determination of the couplings of the light clusters to the meson fields. We find that extra experimental constraints at higher density are needed to convincingly pin down the density associated to the melting of clusters in the dense nuclear medium. The role of neutron rich clusters, such as $^6$He, in asymmetric matter is discussed.