Effect of initial-state geometric configurations on the nuclear liquid-gas phase transition

TL;DR

This study uses quantum molecular dynamics simulations to explore how different initial geometric configurations of oxygen nuclei influence light nuclei yields and fluctuations, revealing potential signals of nuclear liquid-gas phase transition.

Contribution

It demonstrates that initial geometric configurations significantly affect light nuclei production and fluctuations, providing new insights into nuclear phase transition signals.

Findings

Different alpha-cluster configurations alter light nuclei yields.

Geometric fluctuation hierarchy follows specific structural patterns.

Maximum fluctuation of certain ratios correlates with liquid-gas phase transition.

Abstract

Within the framework of an extended quantum molecular dynamics model, we simulated $^{40}$Ca + $^{16}$O collisions at beam energies ranging from 60 to 150 MeV/nucleon for $^{16}$O with different $\alpha$-cluster configurations. Results imply that different $\alpha$-cluster configurations lead to different yields of deuteron, triton, $^3$He and $^4$He, but not for proton and neutron. We discuss the effect of geometric fluctuations which are presented by double ratios of light nuclei, namely $\mathcal{O}_\text{p-d-t}$ and $\mathcal{O}_\text{p-d-He}$. It is found that magnitude hierarchy of geometric fluctuations is chain, kite, square and tetrahedron structure of $^{16}$O. $\mathcal{O}_\text{p-d-t}$ has maximum value around 80 -- 100 MeV/nucleon which could be related to liquid-gas phase transition, that is consistent with results from the charge distribution of the heaviest fragments in the collisions.