TY  - INPR
T1  - Imaging shapes of atomic nuclei in high-energy nuclear collisions
T2  - arXiv
N2  - Atomic nuclei are self-organized, many-body quantum systems bound by strong nuclear forces within femtometer-scale space. These complex systems manifest a diverse set of shapes~, traditionally explored via non-invasive spectroscopic techniques at low energies. Their instantaneous shapes, obscured by long-timescale quantum fluctuations, are considered not directly observable at low energy. We introduce a complementary method, collective flow assisted nuclear shape imaging, to image the nuclear global shape by colliding them at ultrarelativistic speeds and analyzing the collective response of outgoing debris. This technique captures a collision-specific snapshot of the spatial matter distribution in the nuclei, which, through the hydrodynamic expansion, leaves imprints on the particle momentum distribution patterns observed in detectors. We benchmark this method in collisions of ground state Uranium-238 nuclei, known for its elongated, axial-symmetric shape. Our findings, while confirming an overall deformation broadly consistent with prior low-energy experiments, also indicate a small deviation from axial symmetry in the nuclear ground state. This approach marks a new way of imaging nuclei, especially those with uncertain shape characteristics, and refines initial conditions in high-energy nuclear collisions. It tackles the important issue of nuclear structure evolution across various energy scales.
Y1  - 2024
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/86179
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-861797
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.06625v1
IS  - 2401.06625v1
PB  - arXiv
ER  -